"For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water." (Jeremiah 2:13 ESV)
Anyone who has trained for any sport or physical discipline knows how essential water is. If you're not staying hydrated, no amount of hard work will bring results. Has your weight loss plateaued? Are you struggling with sleep? In many cases, the answer is simple: drink more water.
In Jeremiah 2, God speaks of a tragic choice made by His people. They turned away from Him—the fountain of living water (sin #1)—and instead dug their own cisterns (wells or containers). But these cisterns are broken and leak water; they’re dry and useless (sin #2).
Are you thirsty? Deep down, we all are. We all have deep desires—for love, security, purpose, and peace. And there’s only one true source to quench this thirst. Yet we often reject the One who can truly satisfy and turn to anything and everything else, thinking these things will fill us up. But each one fails us in the end.
We chase fortune, fame, pleasure, the perfect job, the ideal vacation, or even the “next big thing”—thinking it will be enough. But as we’ve heard from countless voices: Mick Jagger sang, “I can’t get no satisfaction.” U2 still haven’t found what they’re looking for. And Frank Sinatra knew all too well about being “riding high in April, shot down in May.”
C.S. Lewis wrote about these deep desires and the ways people try to handle them in Mere Christianity. He described three common approaches:
The Fool’s Way: This is the person who thinks, “If I could just have this one more thing, then I’d be happy.” They run after a series of temporary thrills, always thinking satisfaction is just around the corner, but they’re left empty every time.
The Disillusioned ‘Sensible’ Way: This person realizes that nothing satisfies them for long, so they try to lower their expectations. They tell themselves it’s wiser not to dream, that the best they can do is to be “realistic” and give up the pursuit of true fulfillment. They become cynical, thinking happiness and fulfillment were just childish ideas.
The Christian Way: This approach acknowledges that our longings aren’t the problem; they’re signposts. They point us to something beyond this world. We weren’t wrong to want something more; we were just looking in the wrong place. As Lewis famously wrote, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”
Are you thirsty, my friend? Just because this world has let you down, time and time again, doesn’t mean that God is absent. Jesus Himself offers “living water”—an endless, ever-fresh supply that truly satisfies.
Consider the story of the Samaritan woman in John 4. She came to a well for water, but Jesus spoke to her about a different kind of water. He told her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water I will give will never thirst again. The water that I will give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14 ESV).
This woman had tried and failed repeatedly to find satisfaction and peace. Her life was marked by loneliness and rejection. Yet Jesus met her with love, hope, and forgiveness. And she was ready—she humbled herself, acknowledged her thirst, and received His offer of grace. By the end of their encounter, she ran to tell her whole village about the One who offered her living water.
If you’ve tried to quench your thirst in broken cisterns and found them dry, there’s good news: the fountain of living water is still available to you. Jesus promises that His living water won’t just refresh us; it will overflow through us, bringing life to others.
So, let’s remember: true training, true growth—even in our faith—requires not just discipline but also sustenance. Just as the body needs water to grow and heal, our souls need living water to thrive. Ask yourself—are you thirsty? Then come to the One who can truly satisfy, and let His water pour over you today for cleansing, life, and unending peace.
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