Be astonished, O heavens, at this,And be horribly afraid;
Be very desolate." Says THE LORD.
For my people have committed
two evils;
they have forsaken Me, the
fountain of living waters,
and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns,
that can hold no water.
Jeremiah 2:12-13
One thing that is unfortunately true, is that I keep sinning against Holy God. He has saved me, redeemed me and brought me into relationship with Him through the cross of Christ, yet there are times when I turn away, disobey Him & worship the created thing instead of the Creator.
The definition of sin that we find here in Jeremiah tells us that by essence sin is to turn away from God to other things that are less than God.
Isn't it absolutely astonishing, as this passage says, when God's people [Christians], forsake the all glorious, great, majestic, beautiful, all powerful, creator, redeemer, life giver, amazing God?
We seek pleasure created things, as though our life depended on them, giving ourselves to that body, that job, that person, car, sport, food: false god & functional saviour as though they alone could satisfy us.
Yet, as Moses rightly understood, the created thing only has pleasure for a season & does not last. We require a continual 'fix', needing more sex, a bigger, sportier car, a better job, more alcohol, more food....
But the Bible tells us different about the pleasure from God, Psalm 16:11 tells us
You will show me the path of life: in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures for ever more.
And John 15:11 Jesus tells us
"These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
Looking over my life, even this past week I am astonished & afraid concerning the times I've sinned & objects I've turned too, objects that are like broken cisterns that hold no water when compared to the great fountain of life that is Jesus!
Lets be astonished, afraid & desolate when faced with our wanderings away from God, lets fight hard to continually live in His presence, in relationship with Him & in the fullness of His Spirit.
