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Jeremiah was just a youngster when he came to know God and began to work for Him as a prophet. He endured year after year of hard times, frustrating people and complicated disappointments. His message was one that called the people of Jerusalem – God’s chosen people – to turn away from the idols that they had been worshiping and back toward the one, true God.
Let me say it straight: God was miffed at the nation of Israel and He sent Jeremiah to let them know. He had every reason to be angry! He had given the children of Abraham a sacred covenant, a promised future, delivery from oppression, and His tabernacled presence, yet they turned their backs on Him. Continually. They doubted His exclusivity and they set their attentions and affections on things other than God. They worshiped idols made of wood and stone. Powerless and worthless. In Jeremiah 2:13, God said of his people: “They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”
Pastor Greg Laurie describes it this way: “A cistern is a large well or pool carved in a rock. A broken cistern has sprung a leak and can’t hold water. God is saying, “If you go out there to the world and drink from that well, it is not going to satisfy you.”
It sets my mind to wonder.
Why would anyone place her trust in the unstable, un-powerful, unfulfilling things of earth when she can place her trust in a stable, powerful, satisfying God? Seems like such a no-brainer – yet, don’t you and I do that all the time?
Sure we do.
We dig our own cisterns, broken cisterns, and expect them to satisfy our thirst and bring us contentment. We drink from the broken cisterns of materialism, position, wealth, popularity, stuff, relationships, rules and religion. We have faulty expectations that our kids, spouses and friends are meant to satisfy our heart-needs. The ultimate broken cistern, however, is our pursuit of purpose in life via things of this earth.
We were created to pursue God.
We were created to know God – to be satisfied in Him and Him alone.
To worship Him and Him alone.
Oh, you and I are such a thirsty gaggle of girlfriends, aren’t we? Even as believers, we deal with emptiness and bow to idols other than God. We place our faith in the economy, in our financial situations, in our health, in our employment status, politics, marital status, and our relationships. When they fail or fumble we fall apart … and no wonder! They are all broken cisterns and were never meant to be our source of hope or satisfaction!
Friend, we need to turn away from our broken cisterns and turn toward the springs of living water. From stagnant waters to the Living Water. The Bible tells us that confession is the path to the spring of living water. When we eliminate the things that clutter our faith – the broken things we trust in – and place our faith in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ, God’s heart swells with mercy, compassion and grace toward us. He forgives and strengthens us.
Who or what are you trusting in today?
Where are you soul-drinking from: broken cisterns or springs of living water?
When Jeremiah was preparing to take God’s message of repentance to Jerusalem, God spoke confidence and promise to his shaking heart. Let these words speak confidence to your heart today, friend. God’s promise to Jeremiah is valid to you and me when we turn away from the broken cisterns of this world and place our trust in Him. “I am with you and will rescue you, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 1:19b).
Jesus Christ is the Living Water our souls are parched for (John 4:13-14). “Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them” (John 7:37-38).
Say with the psalmist: “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” (Psalm 42:1-2a).
Go to Him today. Confess. Believe. Drink. Be satisfied.
Lord, I’m so thirsty for You! Please forgive me for the times that I have drunk from broken cisterns instead of from Your springs of Living Water! Thank You for Your compassionate grace and ever-flowing love. In a world that is constantly changing, I choose right now – once again – to place my trust in You as my unchanging God. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.
REFLECT and RESPOND: Today we talked about placing our trust in things other than God. Broken cisterns. We all struggle with this to some degree. How has this affected you in the past? How does it affect you in the present? And to go Dr. Phil on you, “How’s that working for you?” Spend time in prayer about this today. Ask God to reveal the broken cisterns you’ve been trying to drink from. Repent of this and commit to a deeper trust-level today.
LET’S PRAY TOGETHER: Leave a comment below to share a prayer need and then pause to pray for the needs of others.
To be honest, there are a million times that I feel like screaming instead of praising. What a battle! Yet, I know the best response is to trust God and choose to praise Him…in and through it all. Music really helps me. I have some brand new music that is purposed to encourage you in the battle. Here’s a sneak peek:
SPECIAL EXCLUSIVE: All the songs of my new EP isn’t even available on iTunes yet – BUT it is available to you!! 🙂 Yay! Grab your copy of “My Strength, My Song” today from my e-store – and consider getting one of the bundle packages so you have a few copies to share! (They will make gifts and stocking stuffers!)
Today’s post is an excerpt of TRUSTING GOD. With impactful devotions, study questions, journal pages, free on-line video intros, and an index of trust-building Scriptures, this book is a resource you’ll refer to time-and-time again. To order your copy, click here:
Comments 9
Please pray for my husband to get a job and for God to give us financial wisdom and also move us for debt to abundance.inspite of our needs God to help us focus on Him.l also struggling with weight.l need to loose a lot of weight but find myself in a web of loosing and gaining,my weakest point is my relationship with food..overeating and unable to stop.this has a big hold over me and l need delieverance.l cannot do it by myself l need greater power..please pray with me.l do not want to keep walking around this mountain over and over..thank you.
I lift up my daughter and son to God. I ask Him to protect and to guide them daily. I pray that God will hold them tightly and protect them from accident and incidents that may cause them harm. I pray they will grow stronger spiritually and physically to have an abundant life in Him.
Amen
I lift up my niece and 2 nephews up in prayer. I pray that God will cover them with his hedge protection. I pray for increased faith in my life, that I may be abke to let go of all fears and doubts, and trust God fully. Father give me the strength to surrender and let thy will be done. In Jesus Name, Amen
Hello and God bless you all. Please join me in prayer for a domestic situation that has ended up under the control of authorities. I never would have wanted this for either one of us. I got my eyes off of my Lord and onto a relationship. Where only 2 agree, believing so, it is done!
i really enjoy the GIG site and always get something to feed my spirit. it is good to know that other women are struggling with many of the same issues i have.
I am asking for prayer from all the GIG! We are raising our grandson and we need Gods protection and favor. His mother may try to take us back to court next year to get custody of him. We have had him in our care and have provided for him since he was born. He is now 8. He needs some healing in his spirit also. Would you all pray for us this next year that God would heal us, give us strength, wisdom and discernment, and let us continue to raise this precious child, that we would retain the guardianship we have or are able to get custody of him. His mother is in need of Jesus, she needs salvation, so please pray for her to receive Christ as her savior. His dad would continue in his healing and grow stronger in his new walk with The Lord. He would meet someone to come along side of him to help him, mentor him. Thank you all!!
Thank you for such wonderful devotionals. I believe that God has blessed you with the ability to share your heart and because it is centered in Him, it blesses me too. Whatever my concerns for the day are, Jesus calms my heart and redirects me to the Supreme Protector, Comforter and awesome Maker that He is. I pray today that all who read His word and contemplate your devotionals will draw closer to Him.
This came at such s perfect time. I struggle with anxiety issues over finance. I always say I trust God and have faith. But I take it back everytime things get difficult and the bills are due. I lead ladies groups at church with your studies and talk a good talk but when it comes down to it I still don’t have complete faith. This impacts my health, my family and most of all I feel guilty telling others to live a life I don’t. Today I pray God will open my heart and mind to trust him completely with all aspects of my life and let me start to really enjoy his love and blessings.
My husband & I are in the process of buying a home that will be a B&B & a retreat center. We know God has put this in our hearts… He has made each step clear as we trusted Him & took that next step. Time after time He has been so faithful! Now, after much searching we have found the house to purchase, but there is a glitch in the financing… we believe God is showing us that we cannot do this on our own but that we need to share His blessing with others to complete the financing. Please pray with us for wisdom of who that person/s should be & for that person’s heart to already be prepared for this. Thank you!