I read something this week, that really put this series into a nutshell: “If you are not hungry for God, it’s because you are full of yourself! If you are full of yourself there is no room for God’s Spirit!” (Mark Batterson)
The god of me, is the greatest idol I battle at times. So I must be aware of temptation and I must examine my heart to see if it is full of me or God.
Jeremiah 2:11-13 says, “Has any nation ever traded its gods for new ones, even though they are not gods at all? Yet my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols! The heavens are shocked at such a thing and shrink back in horror and dismay,” says the Lord. “For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me- the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!”
God makes it clear that heaven is disappointed with how we have at times forgotten God and chosen for ourselves our own gods to worship. (cracked cisterns). Rain was scarce about half the year, so the people in those days would dig their cisterns then line them with bricks and plaster to hold the water. But cisterns were always breaking and losing water. Even when they didn’t break, the water would often become stagnant or the supply would be inadequate. So what these people did seemed ridiculous. Who would ever choose a cistern as their water source when a spring of crystal clear water was available? But that is a great picture of idolatry! We choose a broken well with stagnant water, instead of the spring of fresh water. We look to something or someone to do for us what god was mean to do for us.
Praise God that in spite of ourselves, He will not give up on us!
This coming Sunday is a special Sunday as we prepare for Thanksgiving! Looking forward to seeing you all soon!
Grace and Mercy to you all,
Pastor Rex