Broken Cisterns

Today's Reading:
Jeremiah 1:1-2:30
Revelation 4:1-11
Proverbs 1:8-19
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Focus Verses: Jeremiah 2:5,13
5 This is what the LORD says: "What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves. - - - 13 "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.

Insight:
Jeremiah lamented Israel's unfaithfulness to God. He used the bitter language and graphic imagery of adultery to get his point across. Though God had been faithful to his people, they had turned from him to worthless things. In doing so, they became as worthless as the things they pursued. Though God was like a spring of fresh and life-giving water to them, they turned away from him. Instead of trusting him, they put their trust in the stale and leaking cisterns they had built for themselves. As a result, their hearts were empty and they were dying of thirst.

Response and Action:
The things I turn to in life are the things that will shape me. If I pursue empty things, I will become empty. If I seek the true and faithful God, I will become faithful and live in truth. I will turn away from worthless things and set my heart on things above. In following Jesus, I will experience meaning, purpose, and fullness in my life. If I honor God and hold fast to him, I will experience the streams of living water that flow from him alone.

O Lord, help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Help me to turn away from all that is worthless, to seek all that is true, and to do what is good. Give me the wisdom and the will to guard my heart, feed my spirit, stimulate my mind, and care for my body. Teach me faithfulness and draw me to the living water that only you can give. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: Romans 1:21-25
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

Resources:
Who Switched the Price Tags?
by Tony Campolo