SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 2
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. [Jeremiah 2:13]
Can you sense God’s frustration?
After all that He has done, is doing, and wants to do for us, we turn away from Him and try to live life on our own.
But when we get in trouble, we complain to Him.
Jeremiah compares life with God as a “spring of living water”, and life without God as a “broken cistern that cannot hold water”.
Consider all the things that people cling to for happiness, hope, fulfillment, etc… they are all broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” [John 4:13-14]
The whole message of the bible repeats this theme: we were created to experience the full life with God, but we have turned away to other sources hoping that they could do better than God – and we’ve been so disappointed.
Jesus is God coming to our door and saying, “I am what you need, I am what you are looking for, I can satisfy your heart!”
What do we look to in place of God?
Some of us try to satisfy our soul thirst with pleasure, others with possessions, others with relationships, others with success.
If I am honest, what do I “drink” to satisfy my heart?
To some extent, all of these; and they are NOT satisfying me.
Today I hear God calling me back to my first love, to putting Him first in my heart and life, and to satisfying my soul thirst in Him!
The same God that says “I remember the devotion of your youth” [Jeremiah 2:1] also says “You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. [Revelation 2:4-5]
PRAYER:
Lord, I sense Your frustration, but I also feel it for myself. Today’s reading is gripping my heart as a call to look to You to satisfy my soul thirst!
Child like faith. Total obedience when I was a child and now . . .
they are following their own ways, doing what is right in their own eyes. Ho longer do they seek the Lord or remember all what He has done for them. They have exchanged their God for a lie and forsaken the Living Water. They have created gods for every reason and season. Yet these gods can not save them in their days of trouble.
God did discipline His people but the people did not listen to the correction. They rebelled. They looked for answers, changing their ways, to no avail. They forgot their LifeSource.
God is the answer then and He is the answer today! I must consider the Word of the Lord each day. You are my God and my All in all. Help me to drink deeply of the Water of Life so that I may never be hungry or thirsty again because You lead me in the green pastures. You are my Shepherd.
All the way my Savior leads me;
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my Guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well;
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.
All the way my Savior leads me,
Cheers each winding path I tread;
Gives me grace for every trial,
Feeds me with the living Bread.
Though my weary steps may falter,
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! A spring of joy I see;
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! A spring of joy I see.
All the way my Savior leads me
O the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day
This my song through endless ages—
Jesus led me all the way;
This my song through endless ages—
Jesus led me all the way.