Forsaken

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

God's people had committed two evils. Not only had they forsaken him, but they had tried to carve out their own salvation, and abjectly failed. Salvation is of the Lord alone!

What does it take for God's people to forsake him? Well firstly they are not drawing deeply from the wells of life: reading God's word and praying. Secondly they seem to have strayed into the wilderness from the wells of life. They've got bored with God. And thirdly, as they've got into trouble in the wilderness of life they have sought refuge in other places than the Lord.

Not only had God's people forsaken him, but they had hewn out their own attempted means of sustenance. They looked to politics and idols and people for the solutions to their problems. If anything is put put before God; whether it be wine, women, wisdom, work, wealth or whatever; it is an idol. Worship has to come first in our hearts.

No one other than the Lord can truly satisfy. Five pillars or ten commandments or whatever else are only setting us up to fail. But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Come to him and draw deeply from the wells of salvation, forsaking all others.

"Lord God, forgive me when I run after my own gods and idols. Help me to worship you alone and find all my fulfilment in you. Thank you that you do truly satisfy. In Jesus' name"