Jeremiah 2: 9-19.

Here is the central spiritual issue addressed in ‘Jeremiah’:

‘’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.’’ (13, 18; see John 4:10, 14).

How many Christian testimonies reflect this sentiment? Someone says, ‘I tried everything this world has to offer but nothing satisfied me; I was still thirsty for something else.’ Eventually they found the something is a Someone: Jesus. King Solomon wrote a whole book that has this theme. It’s in the Bible and it’s called ‘Ecclesiastes.’ Solomon was in a position to be able to try every experience. The conclusion he came to was, ‘It’s all ‘’meaningless…a chasing after the wind.’’ He realised that you won’t find the meaning to life if your research is restricted to life ‘’under the sun’’. You have to ultimately look above it. You have to look to God.

There is an old hymn that reflects this passage: ‘’I tried the broken cisterns, Lord, but Ah the waters failed…’’

The people of Jeremiah’s day were looking for meaning in a worthless and broken religious system (11; see Romans 1:23). They had swapped the true god for dead, man-made idols. God said that even pagan nations like ‘’Kittim’’ and ‘’Kedar’’ had remained loyal to their gods. The forsaking of the Lord by God’s people was an appalling and horrific sin that should make a man shudder (12). They were so obviously turning from the only One who could satisfy them.

When you choose the route of sin you go the way of slavery. You may be looking for freedom but you find its opposite (14; see John 8:34). The point to note is that we bring terrible, unwanted and unintended consequences upon ourselves when we turn away from the living God (15-19). This remains the case today.

‘’Now none but Christ can satisfy; no other Name for me…’’

Prayer: ‘’For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.’’ (Psalm 36:9).