Come to the Waters
In the manual: Come, Follow Me lesson 41, “He Hath Borne Our Griefs, and Carried Our Sorrows,” on Gospel Library
Start
Isaiah 55 opens like a seller calling out in a busy market, except that everything is free. “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.”
Read Together
Isaiah 54 promised that Israel would come home. Chapter 55 invites every nation to come too, even nations that never knew the Lord (Isaiah 55:5).
1Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
6Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
What It Teaches
The Lord offers water, bread, wine, and milk “without money and without price.” Then he asks, “Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread?” People can spend their time and money on things that never fill them up. Jacob quoted these verses to the Nephites and invited them to come to the Holy One of Israel (2 Nephi 9:50–51).
Jesus made the same offer. At a feast in Jerusalem he stood and cried, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink” (John 7:37).
Verse 6 says to seek the Lord “while he may be found” and to call on him “while he is near.” He is near now. Prayer is the simplest way to call on him.
Verses 8 and 9 explain why the offer can be hard to believe. People expect to earn what they get. The Lord’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours, “as the heavens are higher than the earth,” and he gives his mercy freely.
Talk About It
What do people spend time and money on that never fills them up? What is one way our family could seek the Lord while he is near this week?
Take to Church
The Lord offers his water without money and without price. Everyone who is thirsty is invited, and he is near.