Simply For The Self-Surrender

"Wait and listen, everyone who is thirsty!

Come to the waters and they who have no money,

come, buy and eat!!  Yes, come, buy spiritual wine

and milk without price simply for the self-surrender

that accepts the blessing."

Isaiah 55:1

These beautiful words illustrating Christ as the

Living Water of God, Who alone can quench the thirst of 

weary souls wandering across the parched wasteland

of spiritual decay and darkness has always had

a profound effect on me every time I read them.

I was recently watching a video shot

on a busy street corner in Hollywood, California.

I noticed a group of Christians parading up and down

on the sidewalk holding up signs with

well-known slogans like:

"Christ Jesus Loves You"

"Repent!"

"Salvation is in Christ alone"

While I feel that the people involved in 

the march were sincere believers

concerned with the salvation of others, I was a bit put off

by their demonstration, which most of the passersby

on the street either briefly acknowledged 

or ignored all together.

  Thus this well-meaning, but futile demonstration 

became just another part of the street carnival atmosphere

of this once glamorous capital of the film-making industry.

I guess the point I am trying to make is that

during His ministry on earth, Yeshua never carried a sign.

He never stood in the temple or on the street corner 

 announcing who He was, or shouting out passages of Scripture

 to the crowd as they passed Him.

Yeshua simply loved people. 

 He reached out to those whom He knew

were the "walking wounded" of his day,

 like the ostracized Samaritan woman He met at the well.

  He responded to people whom were regarded

 as "unclean" by healing lepers, 

 saving a condemned adulteress from

 death by stoning, healing a woman who had been

  bleeding for twelve years, as well as

 the man possessed by demons

 who ran out from among the tombs of a cemetery

at the Lord's approach.  Despite his torment,

 the man somehow recognized Yeshua,

and that He alone could help him.

And He alone did.

Jesus Meeting With A Demoniac 

In The Country Of the Gadarenes

William Brassey Hole

(1846-1917)

Believers not only have

 a physical battle on their hands,

but a vast spiritual one in America today.

 There are so many people here who

are lost and deeply hurting in their souls. 

 They need to hear the invitation to come 

 and drink of the Living Water of God, without

condition or price, spoken plainly to them,

with the same genuine love and caring that 

Christ showed to the people of His time.

We also need to pray for both creativity

and for boldness in our witness,

but far more importantly, the leading and

guidance of the Holy Spirit, whether our

ministry takes us to the mean streets of Hollywood,

or just around the corner from home.