Jeremiah 2:13; 9:15 (NRSV)
Read Jeremiah 2:13; 9:15 on biblegateway.com
Verse 13for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water. Verse 15Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I am feeding this people with wormwood, and giving them poisonous water to drink.
Devotion
A challenging reality we face is that the waters of chaos can be set loose through our own behavior. The prophets of ancient Israel knew this reality well. They listened to the voice of God and delivered God's often discomforting message.
In Jeremiah 2 and beyond we hear a devastating recital of Israel's sins: they had forgotten what God had done for them, gone after other gods and depended on alliances with the nations instead of God. They drank from their own cracked cisterns rather than drinking God's living water. So God gives them poisonous water to drink.
The words of Jeremiah are powerful. We know that this word from God is also addressed to us. It helps to remember that God's judgment was always born of love, never revenge. It was and continues to be about turning us around, changing our behavior, calling forth our repentance—which always includes actions as well as words.
God's fountain of living water is eternal, overflowing and always there for the drinking. Why would we want to drink from any other source?
Prayer
Give us courage, O Fountain of Living Water, to hear your righteous judgments against us. Let us heed your warnings and change our ways. Amen.