DURING a great rail strike in a large city, the government made special arrangements to safeguard supplies of food, and with great success. The milk supply was so ample that a request was made that householders should take rather more than usual, to use up the surplus!
A stream of trucks brought great loads of milk cans from the country all around. They were stacked in the central park and from there distributed to the different districts.
The blessing that we all need for our souls is likened to milk in the Holy Scriptures. Wine is used as an emblem of joy, and milk stands for that which satisfies. There is a well-known text that runs like this: “He, 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.” Isaiah 55:11Ho, 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. (Isaiah 55:1).
It is not much that we get without payment, but the blessing of salvation that God offers is absolutely free. How thankful we should be that this is so, for we are all so poverty-stricken, spiritually, that not one of us could pay even a part of any price demanded. We have not to contribute even a prayer, a vow, a resolution, a pledge, an effort. The gift is free, and is for the sinner to accept by a simple act of faith.
Yet the Scriptures use the word “buy,” and the invitation is to “come and buy wine and milk.” Why is this?
The word “buy,” as used in the Bible, does not necessarily mean purchase. It implies that there must be a personal transaction. Though salvation is free, the gracious gift of God, paid for in full by the Lord Jesus when He suffered on the cross, yet it is not bestowed indiscriminately.
Only those receive it who come personally to the Saviour and put their trust in Him. It is not enough to believe true things about Him, such as that He died for sinners and therefore died for you. This, thank God, is true. But nowhere does it say in the Bible, “Believe things about Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” It says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved,” Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31), and this is a very different thing. It means that there must be personal faith in Christ as Saviour.
We read of a great number at Antioch who believed the gospel. But they did more; they “believed and turned unto the Lord.” Acts 11:2121And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. (Acts 11:21). If they had not turned to the Lord as the result of their believing, their believing would have been in vain.
Have you thus “turned unto the Lord"? Have you been to Him to buy the milk that satisfies the soul? You have thirsted, I am sure, sometimes for things more satisfying than the things of the world. In Christ both salvation and satisfaction are to be found. God grant that you may prove for yourself how well worth having is the MILK WITHOUT MONEY of which the gospel speaks!
“HO, EVERY ONE THAT THRISTH, 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.” Isa. 55:11Ho, 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. (Isaiah 55:1)
ML-03/27/1960