PREPARATION

Introit for Pentecost 9

Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;

make known his deeds among the peoples!

He spread a cloud for a covering,

and fire to give light by night.

They asked, and he brought quail,

and gave them bread from heaven in abundance.

He opened the rock, and water gushed out;

it flowed through the desert like a river.

For he remembered his holy promise,

and Abraham, his servant.

So he brought his people out with joy,

his chosen ones with singing.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;

make known his deeds among the peoples!

Collect

Heavenly Father, though we do not deserve Your goodness, still You provide for all our needs of body and soul. Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may acknowledge Your gifts, give thanks for all Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

LESSON  Isaiah 55:1–5

1“Come, everyone who thirsts,

come to the waters;

and he who has no money,

come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without price.

2Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,

and your labor for that which does not satisfy?

Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,

and delight yourselves in rich food.

3Incline your ear, and come to me;

hear, that your soul may live;

and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,

my steadfast, sure love for David.

4Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,

a leader and commander for the peoples.

5Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,

and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,

because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,

for he has glorified you.

MEDITATION

If anyone ever thinks that the Old Testament is about a judgmental God who will only reward those who have worked for it, show them Isaiah 55. If anyone ever says, “God helps those who help themselves”, show them Isaiah 55. If anyone thinks they are unworthy of God’s gifts and God will never give them anything, (and it’s true we’re all unworthy), let them read Isaiah 55. Isaiah with his imagery of food without price, freely and generously given, is a wonderful picture of God’s grace.

It reminds me of a story I first read by the author Philip Yancey. A missionary he knew described the first home cooked meal he shared with his adopted son.  He, his wife, and their now family of five sat down around a sumptuous dinner in celebration of their new family member.  The young boy ate ravenously and happily enjoying new delicacies and likely had his first taste of apple pie and vanilla ice cream.  When they were done and began cleaning up the little boy began to cry.  His father thought at first, they were tears of joy, but soon he realized it was something else.  He asked his son what was wrong and the boy answered that he was sad because they had eaten all the food.  What were they going to eat next?  He thought this might be their last meal for where he came from no one ate so much and very often you did not know when you would eat again.

Gently the father took his son by the hand and walked him to the pantry.  He showed the boy all the food within.  He opened the refrigerator and showed the meat, cheese, the milk, eggs, and all they needed.  He reassured his son the table would be spread again and a meal prepared so he could eat again.

This missionary and father reflected on this experience and explained that this is like God’s grace.  We often come to him and receive his merciful forgiveness, but there are times when our guilt, our fears, and our sorrows make us wonder if he will receive us again?  Yet, the Lord is not stingy.  He takes us by the hand, opens the pantries and cellars, he breaks bread, he fills our cups with new wine, and feeds us with the spiritual sustenance of Christ again and again.  He reassures us that the table is spread, the meal is prepared, and we can eat again.  We do not have to wonder if we will eat again, all has been prepared beforehand, we are invited to Christ’s feast of salvation. “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!”

LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven,

hallowed be Thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,

give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,

for Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever.

Amen.

BLESSING

The grace of our Lord Jesus + Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit with you all. Amen.