Good morning everyone,

Isaiah 55:1-"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

This devotion comes from a book I have been reading that talks about the discipline needed for a genuine godly relationship. He pinpoints that motivation is the key. There are two types: legalistic motivation or God-centered motivation. One is motivated by a true understanding of the grace of God being absolutely free because of the perfect price paid by Jesus Christ. If that is understood, than we are motivated to devotion because we believe we are securely loved by God in spite of our failures. So we come to Him because we know He loves us, so we in turn eagerly devote time and love to Him.

However if we are legalistically motivated, then all of our effort is based on an insecurity that I am trying to earn another’s love because I don’t believe I measure up because of my failures. Or I’m not secure in His love because of my struggle with sin. But that is why grace is so wonderful because it is free, though it cost God His Son, Jesus paid the debt that we can now "buy wine and milk without money and without price". Receive without trying to earn this free love, not because we deserve it, but because God wants to give us the gift of salvation as an expression of His great love for us!

In His Love, Ld