Modern Cisterns
“for my people have committed two evils:they have forsaken me,the fountain of living waters,and hewed out cisterns for themselves,broken cisterns that can hold no water.”
-Jeremiah 2:13
This verse is powerful and is truly sharper than any double edged sword. It cuts to the core of my spirit and causes me to take a second look into the original meaning. I believe His people today are very similar to those to the Israelites Jeremiah wrote of. We are distracted, long for instant gratification, and although God proves Himself, we quickly forget His provision and faithfulness, turning instead to things of this world. Let us break this verse down together:
These people, His chosen, while sinning in many ways, have committed two principle evils. The original Hebrew of forsaken in this instance means to abandon or leave behind. This is a deliberate action, a willing action. According to one Commentary, this is “…signifying that when men (or women) forsake God’s word, which is the fountain of life, they reject God Himself, and so fall to their own inventions, vain confidence and procure themselves destruction.” How many times have I brought destruction upon myself by turning away from God, and rejecting His way for my own inventions of fulfillment? And yet not one has proved itself to fill the crevices of my heart and soul. Oh for a moment we may tell ourselves it works, that the praise of man and the success of this world is enough to quench the thirst of the spirit within me that is made for eternal things, (Ecc 3:11).
And all the while, this fountain remains available by way of the Son, Jesus Christ. He is the source of life. This is the only thing in the entire world, whether past, present or future that will satisfy my thirst fully. (Read John 4:13-14).
But as the Israelites, so we hew or dig, make and cleave areas in our own life in which to find satisfaction.
Picture yourself, in a desert, depleted of any true source of nourishment and sustenance except a beautiful well, ready for you to draw its cool water and quench your soul. All else is empty, vacant, desolate and dry. Although you are aware of its presence, you ignore the well, turn from it and wonder aimlessly through this desert land. You suddenly believe you will find water beneath the parched, hot land which you walk upon. You dig feverishly, desperate for even a drop of your water. The pit is deep, but you have reached no source of water. In all your effort, you are empty, more desolate than ever, and feel as if you have wasted your precious affections upon this disillusionment.
This is the vision the Lord gave me of us, His beloved people. Only the situation is far graver, for it is not of flesh and blood, but of spirit and soul. Why do, as His people, continue to carve areas of our life that we create ourselves? Why do we stand upon “vain confidence” and manmade gratifications when the Word so clearly forbids it. When we have a need and go to anyone or anything else to fill it we have sinned. But look long enough; be still enough to SEE the need. So often we do not, but merely pursue these “other lovers”, (Hosea 2), without consideration of the deeper need within. The cry of my heart is to be free and in that freedom to glorify God’s name and help others find freedom from useless idols and worldly ways. Are we set-apart beloved? Or are we building cisterns that hold no water, and believing they JUST might give a drop of what the Lord offers in abundance?
I must confess my own lack of devotion to God’s word, love, way and commitment to see His Bride sanctified and set-apart. I grieve with my Father in heaven over those who claim to know Christ and yet live lives like those who are in darkness. There is no justification we can concoct that makes what He clearly forbids ok. Let us look in the mirror and not forget the face we see. In the same way, as James writes, let us be doers of the word and not merely hearers. Oh beloved, rebuke me when I fall off the narrow, when my eyes are not fixated on the cross of my Lord Jesus. And be not afraid to rebuke one another. This is holy and true love and a glorification to our Father.
Oh that we would be this serious and committed to the death of self and the life of Christ within us, (John 3:30). Lord, dispel empty words and revive us to full lives!
My the Lord say of us that we have devotion, love as a bride, and an obedience to follow Him into the wilderness. (Jeremiah 2:2).
BY ANY COST DEAR LORD, BY ANY ROAD~
Kate
-Jeremiah 2:13
This verse is powerful and is truly sharper than any double edged sword. It cuts to the core of my spirit and causes me to take a second look into the original meaning. I believe His people today are very similar to those to the Israelites Jeremiah wrote of. We are distracted, long for instant gratification, and although God proves Himself, we quickly forget His provision and faithfulness, turning instead to things of this world. Let us break this verse down together:
These people, His chosen, while sinning in many ways, have committed two principle evils. The original Hebrew of forsaken in this instance means to abandon or leave behind. This is a deliberate action, a willing action. According to one Commentary, this is “…signifying that when men (or women) forsake God’s word, which is the fountain of life, they reject God Himself, and so fall to their own inventions, vain confidence and procure themselves destruction.” How many times have I brought destruction upon myself by turning away from God, and rejecting His way for my own inventions of fulfillment? And yet not one has proved itself to fill the crevices of my heart and soul. Oh for a moment we may tell ourselves it works, that the praise of man and the success of this world is enough to quench the thirst of the spirit within me that is made for eternal things, (Ecc 3:11).
And all the while, this fountain remains available by way of the Son, Jesus Christ. He is the source of life. This is the only thing in the entire world, whether past, present or future that will satisfy my thirst fully. (Read John 4:13-14).
But as the Israelites, so we hew or dig, make and cleave areas in our own life in which to find satisfaction.
Picture yourself, in a desert, depleted of any true source of nourishment and sustenance except a beautiful well, ready for you to draw its cool water and quench your soul. All else is empty, vacant, desolate and dry. Although you are aware of its presence, you ignore the well, turn from it and wonder aimlessly through this desert land. You suddenly believe you will find water beneath the parched, hot land which you walk upon. You dig feverishly, desperate for even a drop of your water. The pit is deep, but you have reached no source of water. In all your effort, you are empty, more desolate than ever, and feel as if you have wasted your precious affections upon this disillusionment.
This is the vision the Lord gave me of us, His beloved people. Only the situation is far graver, for it is not of flesh and blood, but of spirit and soul. Why do, as His people, continue to carve areas of our life that we create ourselves? Why do we stand upon “vain confidence” and manmade gratifications when the Word so clearly forbids it. When we have a need and go to anyone or anything else to fill it we have sinned. But look long enough; be still enough to SEE the need. So often we do not, but merely pursue these “other lovers”, (Hosea 2), without consideration of the deeper need within. The cry of my heart is to be free and in that freedom to glorify God’s name and help others find freedom from useless idols and worldly ways. Are we set-apart beloved? Or are we building cisterns that hold no water, and believing they JUST might give a drop of what the Lord offers in abundance?
I must confess my own lack of devotion to God’s word, love, way and commitment to see His Bride sanctified and set-apart. I grieve with my Father in heaven over those who claim to know Christ and yet live lives like those who are in darkness. There is no justification we can concoct that makes what He clearly forbids ok. Let us look in the mirror and not forget the face we see. In the same way, as James writes, let us be doers of the word and not merely hearers. Oh beloved, rebuke me when I fall off the narrow, when my eyes are not fixated on the cross of my Lord Jesus. And be not afraid to rebuke one another. This is holy and true love and a glorification to our Father.
Beth Moore writes, that “we receive salvation but we need to seek satisfaction.” I know from my own walk with God as well as those from many around me that we are largely dissatisfied. This is because we lack the devotion to SEEK satisfaction in Him. I think of my past, and the energy I put in to maintain friendships, to please others, to find validation in things other than God, yet my own pursuit of God is at times stagnant. What a misrepresentation of the FOUNTAIN of LIFE found in JESUS CHRIST! May if pursue Him with a passion and fervency that is unparallel with any other pursuit in my life. May I seek the will and end of the Lord, not the aims of my own will. As Amy Carmichael, a missionary to India for some 50 years wrote,
"I wish Thy way
"I wish Thy way
And when in me myself should rise,
and long for something otherwise,
Then Lord, take sword and spear And slay.”
Oh that we would be this serious and committed to the death of self and the life of Christ within us, (John 3:30). Lord, dispel empty words and revive us to full lives!
My the Lord say of us that we have devotion, love as a bride, and an obedience to follow Him into the wilderness. (Jeremiah 2:2).
BY ANY COST DEAR LORD, BY ANY ROAD~
Kate
posted by Kate at 12:04 AM
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