Settling for Leaky Cisterns

My people are guilty of two evils: They have abandoned Me, the spring of living waters; And instead, they have settled for dead and stagnant water from cracked, leaky cisterns of their own making. -- Jeremiah 2:13 VOICE

It has been a long time since I have written on my blog. A really long time. Recently, a friend contacted me and shared with me how the Lord had used His Words here on my blog to draw her back to Him and His Word a few years ago. I had no idea this was going on as I humbly put forth what He was showing me as I read His Word and sought after Him. 

Today, because of her email, I cracked open this old blog and scrolled back to the time frame she had said she began reading. And wouldn't you know it, the first post I read had a verse in it that just leapt off the page at me and pierced my heart. God's Word never returns void. And it was then that I realized that I was missing out on what is best for me.

You see, I have been doing good things with my time, lots of good things. And because of all the good things I have been doing, I have been worn out and weary and needing to refresh and renew.  But, instead of seeking what is best to refresh me, I was filling up on mindless things that filled me up and kept me from thirsting for deep draughts of Living Water. While I had been reading the Word almost every morning, it just was not satisfying me as it had before. 

The Lord spoke, in His gentle, quiet way, and helped me see what's been going on and why I have been dissatisfied lately. Hence the verse above. He lead me there and helped me see I had been drinking from broken cisterns while He alone has refreshing, revitalizing, Living Water.

On the last day, the biggest day of the festival, Jesus stood again and spoke aloud. Jesus: If any of you is thirsty, come to Me and drink. If you believe in Me, the Hebrew Scriptures say that rivers of living water will flow from within you. -- John 7:37-38 VOICE

Back when I was regularly writing on this blog, how I used it as a sort of response to what I had read in the Word that day. Allowing the Streams of Living Water to flow from within me. It was like the final step of my time with the Lord. For awhile now, it seemed like something was missing from my quiet times. And now, I think I know what it was. How thankful I am for Jesus, my Life, my Salvation, my Source of Living Water.

Responding out of a heart filled with praise, they congregate before the throne of God and constantly worship Him day and night in His temple.The One seated on the throne will always live among them. They will never be hungry or thirsty again. The sun or blazing heat will never scorch them, because the Lamb who stands at the center of the throne is their shepherd and they are His sheep, and He will lead them to the water of life. And God will dry every tear from their eyes. -- Revelation 7:15-17 VOICE

Compassion and Mercy

The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. 

He will not constantly accuse us,nor remain angry forever. 

He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. 

For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. 

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. 

The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. 

-- Psalm 103:8-13

Summertime!

Time to read, relax, refresh.

A stack of new books waiting to be cracked open and savored.

Music drifts out of earbuds snug.

Ponder, consider, breathe.

Walks in the park with my sister-friend.

Drawings, novels, earrings, cookies, Lego flowers, clay figures.

Creative juices flowing all around.

Glimpses of the future shining through the fog.

Sandy toes, sunburn on my nose.

Flip flops, beach towels, soggy suits.

Bees buzzing in the fence hugging blossoms.

Sun bringing life and light. 

Summertime and the livin' is easy.

Relax

Source: vintagerosegarden.tumblr.com via Christa on Pinterest

What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, 

to not be so preoccupied with getting,

 so you can respond to God's giving.

Steep your life in God-reality, 

God-initiative, God-provisions. 

Don't worry about missing out. 

You'll find all your everyday 

human concerns will be met.

Give your entire attention 

to what God is doing right now, 

and don't get worked up 

about what may or may not happen tomorrow. 

God will help you deal with whatever 

hard things come up when the time comes.

Matthew 6:31, 33-34

Always There

Look to the Lord

and His strength;

seek His face always.

Psalm 105:4

•

As I look around,

ahead,

back,

it can all just crash over me.

I feel a little lost 

in the whirlwind.

I can't keep up. 

I need peace.

I want clarity.

I've been so serious,

uptight.

I want to lighten up,

relax,

enjoy.

Even as I speak 

what is on my heart,

You respond.

•

What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, 

to not be so preoccupied with getting,

 so you can respond to God's giving.

Steep your life in God-reality, 

God-initiative, God-provisions. 

Don't worry about missing out. 

You'll find all your everyday 

human concerns will be met.

Give your entire attention 

to what God is doing right now, 

and don't get worked up 

about what may or may not happen tomorrow. 

God will help you deal with whatever 

hard things come up when the time comes.

Matthew 6:31, 33-34

Thank You, Father!

Once again You show me 

that You are Sovereign — 

that You go before me,

that you know what is in my heart

even before I do.

Thank You Jesus 

for being my 

Strength and my Shield,

my Rock!

My Vital Need

You have said, Seek My face 

[inquire for and require My presence as your vital need]. 

My heart says to You, 

Your face (Your presence), Lord, 

will I seek, inquire for, and require 

[of necessity and on the authority of Your Word].

Psalm 27:8 

Your Presence is my vital need.

How quickly I forget

and get distracted

or start thinking some

thing

is my vital need.

Inquire for --

ask.

Require --

need.

My heart knows

Who it needs. 

My heart cries out to You.

My mind takes a while to catch up.

[What, what would have become of me] 

had I not believed that I would see 

the Lord's goodness in the land of the living!

Wait and hope for and 

expect the Lord; 

be brave and of good courage 

and let your heart be stout and enduring. 

Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.

Psalm 27:13-14

He is here.

Because He is here

and because I can expect Him

I can be brave

and courageous

my heart can be strong

and I can endure.

I will wait.

I will hope.

I will expect.

I will inquire.

I will require.

For He is my Vital Need.

Choosing Joy

Always be joyful. 

Never stop praying. 

Be thankful in all circumstances,

 for this is God’s will for you 

who belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Always joy?

Always pray?

Thankful always?

How is that possible?

Christ in me.

Pure and simple.

He alone is adequate

to face every situation. 

He is alive in me. 

My joy comes when I remember that.

As I rely on Him

and seek to be available to Him

I am talking to Him more.

Praying more.

He is enough.

That's where the thankfulness comes from.

Thankful that He is able.

I don't have to be.

Lord, please help me walk in this truth,

because this is where 

joy, prayer and thanksgiving come from - 

faith in You.

•

"God is limited only by the measure of our 

availability to all that He makes available

to us for in Him dwells 

all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 

and you are complete in Him

(Colossians 2:9-10)."

-- The Indwelling Life of Christ

by Major W. Ian Thomas