December 13
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. Jeremiah 2:13
The new bag looked so much better than the one that was being carried! It was leather after all and created by that famous designer in New York, and it was advertised as being a clearance price! Who could refuse? So the old standby was abandoned; the old standby that was comfortable and soft, and could carry just about anything needed . . . to be replaced with this new, stiff, smaller but heavier substitute; this new enticingly stylish bag. But in the end, it wasn’t as serviceable after all; less could be carried in it because it was so weighty and within a short while no longer did it look shiny and new, for the hardware on it became discolored. It really was a disappointment.
Let’s face it there is no sin in purchasing a new bag. There is no sin in being indulgent once in a while if your budget allows. But don’t you think sometimes we are like the new bag, looking attractive and hiding our flaws to the public eye? We try to stuff everything we can into every hour of every day, yet spend little time with the One from whom all good has come; then we wonder why we’re struggling and feel empty; unable to become refilled and refreshed. Still we are enticed by the new, enticed by something that advertises itself as better and sounding easier for us. We don’t really need the old rules and traditions, do we? We do not have to answer to anyone, isn’t that so? We can only rely on ourselves, right? We are facing a society today that challenges our faith in God on all fronts. That faith is being replaced with a “me” attitude, a sense of self-reliance that is sad, actually, and a selfishness that is shameful.
Most of us have to experience brokenness at one point or another to fully appreciate what we have had all the while; to understand the love that fills us. We are like the new bag that cannot hold what we need or like that cistern that is broken and cannot hold water. Christ is the spring of living water and if we do not allow ourselves to be made whole in His love, we cannot be filled with His life giving Spirit. When we turn to Him and seek forgiveness, when we turn to Him in search of healing, we become whole again and full to overflowing with His grace. He is faithful, comfortable to be around and carries our heavy burdens willingly if we let Him. No matter how far away from Him we may be, there is one certainty: He will never abandon us.
Forgive us, dear Father, for the times we have pushed You aside and neglected our relationship with You; for the times we failed to seek You first. Thank you for never forgetting us.
Copyright© 2013 Kathleen A. Matson
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. Jeremiah 2:13
The new bag looked so much better than the one that was being carried! It was leather after all and created by that famous designer in New York, and it was advertised as being a clearance price! Who could refuse? So the old standby was abandoned; the old standby that was comfortable and soft, and could carry just about anything needed . . . to be replaced with this new, stiff, smaller but heavier substitute; this new enticingly stylish bag. But in the end, it wasn’t as serviceable after all; less could be carried in it because it was so weighty and within a short while no longer did it look shiny and new, for the hardware on it became discolored. It really was a disappointment.
Let’s face it there is no sin in purchasing a new bag. There is no sin in being indulgent once in a while if your budget allows. But don’t you think sometimes we are like the new bag, looking attractive and hiding our flaws to the public eye? We try to stuff everything we can into every hour of every day, yet spend little time with the One from whom all good has come; then we wonder why we’re struggling and feel empty; unable to become refilled and refreshed. Still we are enticed by the new, enticed by something that advertises itself as better and sounding easier for us. We don’t really need the old rules and traditions, do we? We do not have to answer to anyone, isn’t that so? We can only rely on ourselves, right? We are facing a society today that challenges our faith in God on all fronts. That faith is being replaced with a “me” attitude, a sense of self-reliance that is sad, actually, and a selfishness that is shameful.
Most of us have to experience brokenness at one point or another to fully appreciate what we have had all the while; to understand the love that fills us. We are like the new bag that cannot hold what we need or like that cistern that is broken and cannot hold water. Christ is the spring of living water and if we do not allow ourselves to be made whole in His love, we cannot be filled with His life giving Spirit. When we turn to Him and seek forgiveness, when we turn to Him in search of healing, we become whole again and full to overflowing with His grace. He is faithful, comfortable to be around and carries our heavy burdens willingly if we let Him. No matter how far away from Him we may be, there is one certainty: He will never abandon us.
Forgive us, dear Father, for the times we have pushed You aside and neglected our relationship with You; for the times we failed to seek You first. Thank you for never forgetting us.
Copyright© 2013 Kathleen A. Matson