Oh, boy...broken cisterns...a container that is cracked and can't contain the water poured inside...a reservoir that leaks out the contents...a vessel intended to hold something but isn't able to because of the flaws.
I know something about broken cisterns. I expect many of us do. Christian or not, we can sometimes find ourselves pouring our pitchers into broken cisterns, watching them fill up, only to see them drain out. Your broken cisterns may not look like mine but the result it the same. That broken thing does not satisfy us. Cause broken doesn't work. Here is what the WORD has to say on this matter:
<strong>"For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water."</strong>...Jeremiah 2:13
My broken cistern signifies my struggle with food addiction. It's real and it's there. It doesn't change shape whether i'm at my feel-good weight or not. I stuff food in, reaching a moment of fullness...only to experience that satisfied feeling draining out of me...and finding myself empty again...i have to go back for a refill.
That's life with broken cisterns. You are never fulfilled for long.
I've often said that the ONE good thing about being a food addict is that i can relate (in my little way)...to the drug addict, the shop-a-holic, the porn addict, the alcoholic....all those "ics" out there that are doing the same thing i am doing...pouring water into broken cisterns...only to watch them drain out...and having to go back and do it all over again....and again...and again. We know it ain't smart. We know it ain't right. And many of us hate the cycles we are in. We spend lots of time trying to figure out how to keep that water in those broken pots and when we can't we just keep replenishing.
Broken cisterns come in lots of colors, shapes and sizes. Many of us keep them stored on shelves way in the back of the cupboard where others can't see. We pull them out when no one is around and fill and fill...and leak and leak. Then hide them away till the next time we need some satisfaction.
JESUS, when talking to the Samaritan woman, who had come to fill her pot with water at the city well, said to her; <strong>"Whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a fountain of living water springing up into eternal life."</strong>
Interesting stuff here. This Samaritan woman had a broken pot of her own. We know this because a few verses latter JESUS tells her to "Go get your husband and come back." To which she replied, "I have no husband."
<strong>Jesus said to her, "You have correctly said, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.</strong>"
Oh, that JESUS! Always pulling our cracked pots out of the cupboard!
But hold on! That's all HE said about her broken cistern! Her poor choices weren't JESUS focus...it wasn't HIS point! JESUS didn't break out into a 20 minute sermon on how naughty she was and how foolish of her to keep pouring herself into the cracked pot of "self worth through relationships with men."
No, what JESUS did was this:
1. JESUS recognized her broken cistern.
2. JESUS pointed out her broken cistern.
3. JESUS offered her a better way.
Imagine with me for a moment...try to picture it in your mind...a tired, worn out, BIBLE time woman, standing by a well, with a cracked pot in hand...getting ready to pour water into it again...knowing full well...that no matter what she does...this pot would soon be empty.
Now imagine JESUS, the KING of the UNIVERSE...walking over to this lady...knowing absolutely everything about her...yet, smiling, with compassion at her...reaching out...taking the broken cistern from her hands...setting it down...and standing again...to embrace her...to hold her...to unconditionally love her.
Envision this weak woman, laden with her sin...leaning into the arms of JESUS and allowing all of her weight to fall against HIM. In HIS embrace she feels sweetness...peacefulness. She breathes deeply for the first time in a long time. And she rests in HIS love.
And as HE holds her closely HE offers her something that this world cannot give. Something that will last. Something that will satisfy. Something not broken. <strong>Living Water</strong>. Water straight from Heaven that does not require a holding tank so there is no danger of breakage...no fear of flaw...no damaged pieces.
The water that flows from the throne of GOD...down into her life...through the gift of HIS SON JESUS CHRIST...the ONE whom she is leaning upon now.
Now imagine that woman to be me...or you. <strong>For JESUS CHRIST is the same...yesterday, today and tomorrow.</strong> and HIS offer of Living Water extends to <strong>"whosoever will"</strong>
Yeah...i think i'd like a big swig of Living Water today...how about you?
............................................Cheers...............................................
I know something about broken cisterns. I expect many of us do. Christian or not, we can sometimes find ourselves pouring our pitchers into broken cisterns, watching them fill up, only to see them drain out. Your broken cisterns may not look like mine but the result it the same. That broken thing does not satisfy us. Cause broken doesn't work. Here is what the WORD has to say on this matter:
<strong>"For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water."</strong>...Jeremiah 2:13
My broken cistern signifies my struggle with food addiction. It's real and it's there. It doesn't change shape whether i'm at my feel-good weight or not. I stuff food in, reaching a moment of fullness...only to experience that satisfied feeling draining out of me...and finding myself empty again...i have to go back for a refill.
That's life with broken cisterns. You are never fulfilled for long.
I've often said that the ONE good thing about being a food addict is that i can relate (in my little way)...to the drug addict, the shop-a-holic, the porn addict, the alcoholic....all those "ics" out there that are doing the same thing i am doing...pouring water into broken cisterns...only to watch them drain out...and having to go back and do it all over again....and again...and again. We know it ain't smart. We know it ain't right. And many of us hate the cycles we are in. We spend lots of time trying to figure out how to keep that water in those broken pots and when we can't we just keep replenishing.
Broken cisterns come in lots of colors, shapes and sizes. Many of us keep them stored on shelves way in the back of the cupboard where others can't see. We pull them out when no one is around and fill and fill...and leak and leak. Then hide them away till the next time we need some satisfaction.
JESUS, when talking to the Samaritan woman, who had come to fill her pot with water at the city well, said to her; <strong>"Whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a fountain of living water springing up into eternal life."</strong>
Interesting stuff here. This Samaritan woman had a broken pot of her own. We know this because a few verses latter JESUS tells her to "Go get your husband and come back." To which she replied, "I have no husband."
<strong>Jesus said to her, "You have correctly said, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.</strong>"
Oh, that JESUS! Always pulling our cracked pots out of the cupboard!
But hold on! That's all HE said about her broken cistern! Her poor choices weren't JESUS focus...it wasn't HIS point! JESUS didn't break out into a 20 minute sermon on how naughty she was and how foolish of her to keep pouring herself into the cracked pot of "self worth through relationships with men."
No, what JESUS did was this:
1. JESUS recognized her broken cistern.
2. JESUS pointed out her broken cistern.
3. JESUS offered her a better way.
Imagine with me for a moment...try to picture it in your mind...a tired, worn out, BIBLE time woman, standing by a well, with a cracked pot in hand...getting ready to pour water into it again...knowing full well...that no matter what she does...this pot would soon be empty.
Now imagine JESUS, the KING of the UNIVERSE...walking over to this lady...knowing absolutely everything about her...yet, smiling, with compassion at her...reaching out...taking the broken cistern from her hands...setting it down...and standing again...to embrace her...to hold her...to unconditionally love her.
Envision this weak woman, laden with her sin...leaning into the arms of JESUS and allowing all of her weight to fall against HIM. In HIS embrace she feels sweetness...peacefulness. She breathes deeply for the first time in a long time. And she rests in HIS love.
And as HE holds her closely HE offers her something that this world cannot give. Something that will last. Something that will satisfy. Something not broken. <strong>Living Water</strong>. Water straight from Heaven that does not require a holding tank so there is no danger of breakage...no fear of flaw...no damaged pieces.
The water that flows from the throne of GOD...down into her life...through the gift of HIS SON JESUS CHRIST...the ONE whom she is leaning upon now.
Now imagine that woman to be me...or you. <strong>For JESUS CHRIST is the same...yesterday, today and tomorrow.</strong> and HIS offer of Living Water extends to <strong>"whosoever will"</strong>
Yeah...i think i'd like a big swig of Living Water today...how about you?
............................................Cheers...............................................