THE BROKEN CISTERNS OF LIFE

“Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love…” (Joel 2:12-13)

 

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 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 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.”

 

Why would anyone place her trust in the unstable, un-powerful, unfulfilling things of the 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?

 

We dig our 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's 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.

 

Even as believers, we deal with emptiness and bow to idols other than God.

We place our faith in the economy,

in our financial situation,

in our health,

in our employment status,

marital status,

and our relationships.

When they fail or fumble we fall apart … No wonder they are all broken cisterns. We were never meant to be our source of hope or satisfaction!

 

Friend, we need to turn away from our broken cisterns of life 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 is merciful,

compassionate,

and graceful toward us.

He forgives and strengthens us.

 

Who or what are you trusting in today?

 

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 heart. Let these words speak confidence in 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 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.