As I was praying last night, I clearly heard the Lord tell me to go to the book of Jeremiah. I opened the Bible to the book of Jeremiah and didn’t get very far. Some verses here stood out to me. Keep in mind that God isn’t talking to those who don’t claim Him as Lord, He’s addressing His people…
“Has any nation ever traded it’s gods for new ones, even though they are not gods at all? Yet my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols!
For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me-the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all! ” Jeremiah 2: 11-13
A cistern is a pit that collected rainwater. But who would set aside a fountain of living water for a cracked cistern? Yet God was telling the Israelites they were doing that very thing when they turned from him – the fountain of living water, to the worship of idols. The people had built religious systems in which to store truth, but those systems were worthless. I believe these words out of the mouth of God can be said to us who are living in the year 2013.
Why should we cling to the broken promises of unstable “cisterns” (money, power, fame, religion, materialism, or whatever thing we are putting in place of God)? Jesus promises to constantly fill us and refresh us with living water that comes only from Him. We wouldn’t think of depriving our physical body of water when we thirst. Why then should we deprive our spirit?
“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7: 38
“but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4: 14
“As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.” Psalm 42: 1