Revelation 22:17-21: a reflection

17The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” He who hears, let him say, “Come!” He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely. 18I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book. 19If anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. 20He who testifies these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen! Yes, come, Lord Jesus! 21The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all the saints. Amen.

As the Bible draws to its close, it ends not with a command or a warning but with an invitation, wide open and freely offered. The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let the one who hears say, Come. And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. The whole of Scripture, with all its history and promise, ends with this open door: an invitation to everyone who thirsts to come and drink freely of the water of life.

Notice the freeness and the breadth of the invitation. It is offered to anyone who is thirsty, anyone who desires; there are no conditions of worthiness, no price to pay. Take the water of life without price, it says. The gift of life in Christ is free, offered to all who will come, held out at the very end of the Bible as an open invitation to the thirsty. And it echoes with longing for Christ's return: Come, Lord Jesus.

That closing invitation is for you. Whatever your thirst, whatever your need, however unworthy you feel, the invitation stands: come, and take the water of life freely. You do not have to earn it or pay for it; it is offered without price to all who are thirsty. If you are thirsty for God, for forgiveness, for life, do not hold back thinking you must first make yourself worthy. Come, as you are, and drink freely. The Bible ends with an open door and a free invitation; walk through it, and take the water of life that Christ offers without price to all who thirst.

Lord, your word ends with an open invitation: the Spirit and the Bride say, Come; let the one who is thirsty come and take the water of life without price. Thank you that the gift of life in Christ is free, offered to all who thirst, with no price to pay and no worthiness to earn. Whatever my thirst, my need, my unworthiness, help me hear that invitation as meant for me, and to come as I am and drink freely. Keep me from holding back, thinking I must first make myself worthy. I am thirsty; help me come to you and take the water of life freely. And with your people I pray: come, Lord Jesus. Thank you for so open a door and so free a gift.