Broken CisternsSample

BROKEN CISTERNS

Chapter 1: Our Desire for Fulfillment

"You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You." —Augustine of Hippo

They had everything: a vast array of fruits to eat, rivers to swim in, animals to play with, and a garden to explore. The best part: they were enjoying a perfect daily communion with God.

What could go wrong?

There, in the midst of that perfection, an intruding creature—with honeyed venom on its tongue—whispered,
"It's not enough. You need more."

"More?… having it all?" —they thought.

Yet the sweetness of the whispers and the benefits of the proposal were convincing enough that they did not desire or take it.

"After all, 'wisdom, power, and glory'… aren't things offered every day, are they?" —they said to each other.

What they did not realize was that what they thought was the missing piece for a fulfilled life would, in truth, reveal the emptiness and sin within their hearts.

Meanwhile, the cunning creature took delight in having fulfilled its purpose: persuading them that true satisfaction could be found apart from God.

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This story is not just about two historical characters in Genesis (chapter 3); it is a story that has played out in the life of every person since that first deception. It is about us.

We've been there; in fact, many of us are there even now. I'm talking about that moment when we realize that if we don't manage to satisfy what keeps us dreaming during the day and awake at night, we won't feel complete—the thing that promises us fulfillment.

"…Is this it? I'm still not satisfied. I need something more."

And so it goes, again and again, until we find ourselves trapped in a vicious cycle.

The same thing happened to Israel during the time of the prophet Jeremiah. They also had it all: fertile land, abundant crops, and a loving relationship with God. Among all the nations, they were the only ones who had the true God. Yet, among all the nations, they were the only ones who exchanged their God for other gods.

"[…]My people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols!" (Jeremiah 2:11, NLT)

Replacing God with worthless things is not only a condemnation for the people, but also something that brings God grief and prompts His complaint, just as He did on that occasion:

"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, ESV).

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"Broken cisterns" are all those things we seek and build to satisfy the desire for eternity—a desire that God Himself placed in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11)—things which, by their limited and fleeting nature, cannot truly satisfy. They aren't necessarily bad by themselves, but when our hearts place their trust in them, they become idols. Idols that cannot satisfy.

Reflection question:

Did anything specific come to mind as you read about those things you hope will satisfy you? If so, give those broken cisterns a name (relationships, money, work, goals, entertainment, social approval, etc.).

In the coming days of this devotional, we'll look at how this human effort to find fulfillment has played out and what the solution to this problem is. Will you join us?