Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

What Are We Drinking?

JEREMIAH 2:12-13 – Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the Lord, 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.

THEME OF THE DAY. WHERE ARE WE DRINKING? As a young boy, I remember those fond visits to my grandfather’s farm way out in the backwoods of West Virginia. To access the farm, one had to travel on a one lane dirt road that during times of heavy rain and winter was not passable. We would walk into the farm. It was beautiful with a little brook running through it and a nice pond my grandfather made for swimming, fishing and just family fun. During those hot, dog days of August with sweltering temperatures, high humidity, and days without rain, the brook would dry up, not completely. There was still crystal clear and clean running water flowing through it; so clear and clean I would often drink from it, always refreshed when finished. The pond was different. The heat, humidity and lack of rain created a stagnant body of water not the least bit inviting. No swimming and certainly no drinking. It was anything but satisfying.

The picture of childhood farm memories I shared in the last paragraph paints a vivid picture of contrast associated with today’s scriptures. It is about satisfaction, or inner contentment of heart, mind, and soul every human being craves and seeks. The refreshing brook would be the “fountain of living waters” Jeremiah mentions. This fountain is the Lord Jesus Himself. He said this of Himself – “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14). The broken cisterns the prophet Jeremiah states would be the stagnant pond on my grandfather’s farm showing the futility of seeking satisfaction in anything created or of the world and our flesh. The immediate application in our lives is – where are we drinking to find that deep yearning for contentment and satisfaction in life? From today’s scripture, there are two places and only one will fulfill our inward longings.

First, we can choose to listen to the lies of a deceptive devil, an alluring world, and our remaining sinful flesh and go on the most foolish and regret-filled journey ever – seeking to find inward satisfaction in anything, anyone, or any place other than the Lord Jesus. This would be those “broken cisterns” the prophet warns us of. Friend, Jesus and only Jesus satisfies the human heart. And He won’t do a “time share.” We cannot say, “Lord, I want you and the pleasures of the world.” He won’t tolerate such divided loyalties. The Christian who is attempting to find contentment in the Lord and in the world and people will be met with discontent. I am not saying these Christians are living in sin, but they are living short of what the Lord desires. If this describes us, get alone and ask the Lord to reveal if we are trying to find contentment in both Him and the world. He will show us and help us break down this competing force in our hearts.

The other place, and the only place, to live contented and satisfied is by seeking and drinking from the “fountain of living waters” – the Lord Jesus. And He will do both – bring contentment and satisfaction to our yearning hearts. He will do so through the promises of His Word, the fellowship of His people, and the development of a prayer life primarily focused on seeking to know Him. Jesus gave one of the most encouraging invitations a person will ever hear. He said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38). What a promise! What a God! He will satisfy our lives if we abandon all the foolish pursuits in life to obtain it by realizing and seeking Him; Him alone to bring the longed for contentment into our hearts, minds, and souls.

PRAYER: “Father, forgive me when I deceive myself to think I can find contentment in things and people outside of You.”

QUOTE: “Don’t let the lies of Satan, the world, and your flesh draw you to pursue anything but Christ to satisfy your life”