Stop seeking satisfaction in broken cisterns and present yourself to God as a living sacrifice. Commit your heart to Him and His ways, rest in His redemption, and live in truth, justice and righteousness.

She asked if I had time to talk. When a spot in my day cleared I called her. My sister in Christ had been praying about a particular temptation and was feeling embarrassed to tell me. But I gently encouraged her and she shared that a glass of wine was no longer sufficient. She desired more, too much more. She knew she was sliding down a slippery slope, so she courageously reached out for help and accountability. I was glad she did. Like many women I have counseled over the years, my sister was hewing out a broken cistern for herself “that can hold no water” (Jer. 2:13). She had not completely “forsaken…the fountain of living waters” (v. 13), but she knew she was finding her satisfaction in something other than Him alone. My sister was wise to not ignore the Spirit’s conviction and to recognize she needed to reach out for help.

Today you may not be tempted by alcohol, but all of us are tempted to hew out broken cistern for ourselves. Think of how often we turn to achievements, beauty, food, fitness, gaming, money, pornography, sex, social media, or popularity in order to find satisfaction, security or significance. The prophet Jeremiah warns us of the dangers of such disordered desires and challenges us to return to “the fountain of living waters” (Jer. 2:13).

The Lord Contends with His People

There was a time when Israel was devoted to the Lord, as a young bride is devoted to her husband (Jer. 2:2). But this honeymoon phase didn’t last long. God’s people “went after worthlessness, and became worthless” (v. 5). They forgot the Lord’s redemption from Egypt, His faithfulness to them in the wilderness, and His graciousness in giving them Canaan (vv. 6-7). The priests failed to pray, the leaders broke the law, and the prophets stopped proclaiming God’s words (v. 8). They exchanged the one living and true God for gods that could not save them. They forsook “the fountain of living waters” to try and find their satisfaction and security in other sources (v. 13). Though Israel was the Lord’s firstborn son, they became slaves to the nations around them, forsaking the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom (vv. 14-19). They lusted after other lovers, bowing to Baal, and groping for the gods of this world (vv. 20-25). They ignored the Lord’s discipline and spurned His covenant love. Therefore, the Lord threatened to bring shame upon them by way of Egypt and Assyria, the very superpowers in whom they put their trust (vv. 36-37). The covenant curses, like drought, didn’t even get their attention. Their adultery and idolatry had blinded them, and they wondered why the Lord seemed far away.

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