The 1987 movie, “Babette’s Feast” is the story of a great French chef named Babette. She lives anonymously among a sternly pious congregation in a Danish coastal village. When Babette wins the French lottery, she decides to spend it all creating a magnificent meal for the villagers.
The French woman’s generosity and the guest’s acceptance of her invitation bring many surprises. There is a dazzling array of exotic food and drink that displays Babette’s culinary art. More importantly, the feast itself becomes the occasion for a restoration of relationships. There is healing of broken dreams and forgiveness of old sins. Human warmth and the abundance of rich, elegantly prepared food starts to melt the cold and barren stoicism of God-fearing people who are strangers to God’s hope and joy, and to one another.
The speaker in Isaiah 55:1-2 announces an invitation to a banquet feast much like Babette’s generosity, only much more so. The prophetic word goes out to the despondent Jewish people living in exile in Babylon; “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.”
The psalmist had this in his mind and heart as a possible present reality when he wrote Psalm 23:5-6 – “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of Lord forever.”
In Matthew 11:28, we hear an echo of these words in Jesus’ invitation – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
In each of these invitations, the call is universal, what is offered is free, and the result is of cravings being satisfied. As Jesus promised in his sermon on the mount, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Mt. 5:6).
God’ love for us and His desire to be in relationship of love with us is so deep and so awesome that it is utterly amazing grace that is being offered us. Why then are we so reluctant to come close to Him and enjoy the bountiful relationship He offers to all who hunger and thirst for a meaningful relationship.
We already know that in order to grow in our relationship with God, we cannot pursue our own interests seven days a week, 365 days a year. We must take some significant time each week, each day, to deepen our love for God and to pursue his interests.
Unfortunately, many Christians have catered to a drop-in spirituality style of relating to God, which gives a heartless nod to God for a few quick devotional minutes and then are on their way, living and doing business as usual. Oh, how God’s heart must ache when we, who claim to be His children, are so easily satisfied with just a little taste of upbeat worship here, a sip of Bible reading there, and nothing too deep and nothing that challenges our thinking, planning, or imagination.
This “drop-in” habit may provide a momentary feeling of satisfaction, but if that is all we ever have time for in our lives with God, then it soon becomes a habit that will keep us from going deeper with God and drinking deeply from the well of life. It is a habit that will freeze us in spiritual infancy, perpetually clutching our spiritual sippy cups.
I say God’s heart must ache and bleed for us, because He has a relationship in mind for us, His children, which is so much different. He desires to have us come close to Him and experience a life that is far deeper, richer and more fulfilling and satisfying than what any quick fix could give us. The Divine offer is made without price. The only requirement is hunger and thirst, and a willingness to seek God. The invitation is ours to accept or decline.
The challenge is placed directly before us in verse 2 – “Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?” Indeed, Isaiah’s question should be hung as a banner over the entrance to our malls and our places of work.
The season of ADVENT is a time to reexamine our relationship with God and prepare to joyously celebrate His coming to us in Jesus. It is a time to gather our thoughts, quiet our hearts, and renew our love affair with God. May God help us to do so.
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“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – November 24, 2021
Ray M. Geigley
Healing Rays of Righteousness 
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