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Isaiah 55:2-3a
November 22, 2024 by Rebecca Littlejohn
DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE
Isaiah 55:2-3a – Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. (NRSV)
Just after one of the few holidays within the American national calendar that has been appropriately shared by our Christian faith (Thanksgiving), there is another one that stands in stark counterpoint to the gospel, Black Friday. In a country that has decided shopping is a hobby – and especially on this day when it turns into a contest – it is counter-cultural to proclaim a gospel that insists that neither our worth nor our identity is determined by what we own.
How many of the supposed bargains purchased today will still be treasured by mid-January? How much of what is consumed will truly bring joy or fulfillment? Certainly, some are thoughtfully and intentionally making selections that will communicate their love to their family and friends, but much of this shopping is mindless consumerism, which is not just a national pastime, but a form of idolatry.
Why do we give our labor for that which does not satisfy? What is the bottomless pit that we aim to fill with cheap stuff from the mall? What would it take to be healed from this wasteful habit? What words of Jesus do we need to hear to realize that buying another thing is not going to make us feel better like we think it will? “Come unto me and find rest for your souls,” he says. “I will give you living water.” “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
For many, the gift-giving of this season is part of the joy. There is nothing within the gospel to contradict that. But God, who knows what is best for us, does not want us to measure our worth by how much shows up under our tree, or to find our joy in how much we “saved” on something we didn’t need in the first place. God wants to fill the gaps in our hearts with new friends, with the joy of serving others, and the cherishing of deep relationships – things that truly satisfy.