Broken Cistern
A cistern is a man-made, water-proof pool used for
collecting water. God reprimanded Israel for hewing out for themselves broken
cisterns and forsaking Him and the fountains of living water He provides (Jeremiah 2:13). Water in a cistern often gets
stagnant and eventually putrefies, because it is not free flowing like a
fountain. God made it clear that all of our self-effort to be holy will
stagnate and putrefy! The fresh flow of His Holy Spirit in our lives and in the
world around us is the true living water.
Jesus claimed to have living water when He spoke to the woman at the well in Samaria. She proved Him right when she and her community found living water in Him (John 4:10-11). Jesus used the Old Testament to prove to them that He is greater than their ancestor who gave them the well around which they spoke (John 4:12). Once we recognize that Jesus is our source of life, we too receive this living water for eternity.
When we share with others what Christ did for us,
some reject us for it and some reject the truth of what we say. However, once
in a while someone will want to know more. We can talk until we are hoarse; but
until the Holy Spirit reveals to others, as He did for us, that Jesus is the
only Way, Truth and Life, then they will not repent of their sins and believe
on His name for their salvation. Only Jesus can quench the thirsting in their
human heart.
Once Christ comes to live in us, we abandon our
cisterns full of stale water. His life-giving water flows from His Spirit
through our spirit like continuous springs and rivers of living water (John 7:37-39). Our Shepherd guides us beside
still waters in order to strengthen our soul (Psalm
23:1-2). He restores our parched soul and leads us to a land of milk and honey.
He turns our desert into pastures for us to eat to our heart’s content (Isaiah
43:18,19; 44:3,4).
The more scorched our soul, the more we pant after God as the deer
pants for the water of the brook (Psalm 42:1-2). His river of life affects our
thoughts, words and deeds and brings us a multitude of blessings (Proverbs
10:11; 1 Corinthians 10:4; Exodus 17:1-7). His Spirit gives us the words to speak in every
situation (Acts 2:4). The life of Christ within us flows through us and out of us to the
world around us.
Prayer:
Father
God, we request that You replace our pride, anger, rebellion and other negative
character traits with the fruit of Your Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). You work out Your will in our
lives as we surrender our life to You. Help us to trust in Your promises and to
daily commit our life only to You. Keep us holy and forthright until the day of
Your coming. Prepare us as a bride without any blemish or stain of sin, so that
we will be a holy habitation for Your Son (Ephesians 2:22).
Thought
for the Day:
God’s
river of salvation protects us in any tribulation, and He alone is worthy of
all of our faith. 