In today’s Old Testament reading (Isaiah 55:1-3) we hear God inviting us to him and into his life. God tells us that this invitation has no strings attached and costs us nothing. God tells us that responding to this invitation will result in renewal, nourishment, and many other good things.
In his letter to the Romans (Romans 8:35 – 39) Paul reminds us that nothing can separate us from God. As I listened to this scripture today I was thinking that maybe Paul had it wrong. I was thinking about how sometimes we ourselves separate ourselves from God simply by “tuning God out” – by putting so many other things before our attention to God. But then I thought again about Paul’s statement and realized that it is indeed true that nothing separates us from God. Not even our own neglect or unfaithfulness separates us from God because God never gives up on us – he constantly applies that “tug” that brings us back to our senses and allows us to turn back to him. I am realizing that God’s love trumps our neglect and unfaithfulness.
And we hear about this in today’s gospel (Matthew 14:13-21). After John the Baptist’s death, Jesus sought some downtime but the people sought him out. Intrigued by his works, inspired by his words, and with a faith instilled by God’s Spirit, the masses responded to God’s invitation and once again came to Jesus. Nothing could separate them from him, not the recent execution of the Baptist, not even the thought of journeying to that “desert place” where Jesus could be found. We hear that the masses arrived without food or drink. But their faith was rewarded. Jesus, in his compassion, saw to that. He provided the nourishment that comes with God’s invitation.
We know that nothing can separate us from our loving and compassionate God. He reaches out to us constantly. We just need to remain open to his call and respond in kind – respond to love with love – for it is only in God that we will find our true nourishment and those good things that last forever.
Very well-said–and very true.