HUNGER FOR GOD’S WORD - The Israelites are invited to come and sustain themselves on God’s nurturing words. God spreads a fabulous banquet before them and bids them come to feast freely and fully. The Davidic covenant is recalled-not only did Adonai’s love become specific in a relationship to David, God now announces the far-impacting ramifications of that relationship-everlasting.

THE INVITATION - What to do? Given such heady invitations by the God of faithfulness in vv. 1-2, and given the less than stellar track record of the people called by God, the people are now invited to repent; that’s what living in relationship with God requires-a constant forsaking and tuning in to God.

A FEAST- This passage could well fit with the thought of the second lesson in 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; God not only gives water and manna for the desert journey, refreshment for the new exodus from exile, but God also gives bread and milk and wine of God’s nourishing Word-gifts for the people who have finally come home to where they belong.

Make a list of what people spend their money or labor on that has ultimately proven to be unfulfilling.

How does God’s word taste to you? ___Awful, but helpful like medicine; ___too watered down; ___outdated like moldy bread; ___rich like gourmet food

How can we hold before our listeners the image of thirst and the quenching of thirst? That’s how Isaiah begins. Here’s what I imagined: God setting up a lemonade stand on a blistering hot, muggy day. On the table sits one of those big Cool-Aid pitchers with the smiley face and big cubes of ice crowding the top. The stand is so inviting to those who have felt thirst, for those who are drenched in their own sweat and need replenishing. It’s pink lemonade-and the sign reads, "Fresh Glass of Mom’s Lemonade 50¢; but then the fifty cents has been crossed out and scribbled over it in dripping black paint is the word, "free."

We might push the metaphor a bit further and describe the passersby-some stop and take advantage of the offer, others are very busy, too busy to stop for its refreshment. Such a metaphor could lead into a real story of someone who was spiritually (or physically) thirsty and found refreshment.

In contrast to the thirst quencher at the lemonade stand is the "competition." "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?" There are other stands along the avenue that offer fast food options too-but at a price. We could name some of these other venues and menus that our culture holds out to us-things that offer only cosmetic improvements, things that begin and end with us-in relationship to nourishment of soul and spirit.

What about coming into the pulpit with several objects that reflect that "which does not satisfy" in and of itself: some high tech stuff, food, junk, more stuff, gadgets, gizmos, etc. The idea is that there is food that does not nourish. There are things that ultimately do not satisfy. But God offers us a much deeper satisfaction and nourishment and without cost.