10 Look to the west as far as the shores of Cyprus
and to the east as far as the land of Kedar.
Ask anyone there:
Has anything this odd ever taken place?
11 Has a nation switched gods,
though they aren’t really gods at all?
Yet my people have exchanged their glory
for what has no value.
12 Be stunned at such a thing, you heavens;
shudder and quake,
declares the Lord.
13 My people have committed two crimes:
They have forsaken me, the spring of living water.
And they have dug wells, broken wells that can’t hold water.
Reflection
The prophet Jeremiah, speaking on God’s behalf, says to the people:
“You had all the water you wanted. So why did you go and dig yourself dry wells?”
The implication is clear: God has provided for your needs – physically, emotionally, spiritually. And yet the prophet looked around him and saw people turning to all kinds of things OTHER THAN God for sustenance, strength, and support.
Does any of this sound familiar? It should. Because people don’t change. We are still ready to walk past the water fountain on our way to drink from a muddy puddle.
On my grandfather’s farm, there was an old hand pump in the yard outside the house. The water from that well was cold, pure, and delicious. Whenever you drank from it, I swear it was like drinking water for the first time.
This is what God has for us. So why do we keep insisting on getting our water elsewhere?
by Joe Monahan
For Pondering & Prayer
What are some of the wells you’re choosing to drink from? Are they satisfying, or are you still thirsty?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, when we turn from you, call us back to the well where we can drink deeply from all the goodness you have for us. Amen.
Our Lenten Series
For our Lent series this year, we’ll be using the Adam Hamilton book Luke: Jesus and the Outsiders, Outcasts, and Outlaws. At his website, you can find a 40-day reading plan to help you read through the Gospel of Luke during Lent. And join us for worship, in-person or online, at 9:00 & 10:30 every Sunday.
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