QT 15/07/2025 Tue. Lamentations 2 Broken Cisterns and Living Water 破水池与活水

QT 15/07/2025 Tue. Lamentations 2  Broken Cisterns and Living Water
READ http://www.esv.org/lam2

Scripture: Jeremiah 2:13 (ESV)
“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.”

Reflection:
Jeremiah 2 is a passionate cry from the heart of God. He speaks as a wounded lover, remembering the devotion of Israel’s youth (v.2) and grieving over their betrayal. God's people, once faithful, have now turned to worthless idols and trusted in the nations around them instead of the Lord.

Verse 13 captures the essence of their sin—and ours. They abandoned the fountain of living waters (God Himself) and turned to broken cisterns—man-made solutions that can’t satisfy. It’s not just that they turned away, but they tried to replace the infinite with the insufficient.

We do this too. We trade the joy of God’s presence for temporary pleasures, self-reliance, or worldly comfort. And yet God continues to call us back—not with condemnation, but with longing. He wants us to know that He alone is the source of true life, joy, and peace.

Application:
(1) Are there "broken cisterns" in your life—things you run to instead of God for satisfaction or security?

(2) What would it look like to return to the "fountain of living waters" this week?

(3) Spend time in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal where your heart may have strayed and to renew your first love for Christ.

Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for seeking satisfaction apart from You. You are the fountain of living waters. Restore my soul and draw me back to Yourself. Teach me to find my joy, strength, and purpose in You alone. In Jesus’ name, amen.

QT 15/07/2025 星期二. 耶利米哀歌 2 破水池与活水
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Lam/2/

经文 耶利米书 2：13
他在烈怒中砍断以色列所有的角；他从仇敌面前，收回自己的右手。他像吞灭四周物件的火焰，在雅各中间焚烧。

反思：
《耶利米书》第 2 章是上帝发自内心的激情呐喊。祂以一个受伤的情人的口吻说话，回忆以色列人年轻时的奉献（第 2 节），并为他们的背叛而悲伤。上帝的子民曾经忠心耿耿，如今却转向毫无价值的偶像，相信周围的国家而不是耶和华。

第 13 节抓住了他们和我们的罪的本质。他们抛弃了活水的泉源（上帝自己），转向了破损的蓄水池--人为制造的无法满足的解决方案。这不仅仅是他们背弃了上帝，而是他们试图用不足来取代无限。

我们也是如此。我们用暂时的快乐、自力更生或世俗的舒适来换取上帝同在的喜乐。然而，上帝继续呼唤我们回来--不是谴责，而是渴慕。祂希望我们知道，唯有祂才是真正生命、喜乐和平安的源泉。

应用：
(1) 在你的生命中是否有 "破损的蓄水池"--你不向神寻求满足或安全感，而是向其他东西寻求满足或安全感？

(2) 本周回到 "活水的泉源 "会是什么样子？

(3) 花点时间祷告，求圣灵显明你的心在哪里偏离了，并更新你对基督的初爱。

祷告
主啊，原谅我在你之外寻求满足。你是活水的源泉。恢复我的灵魂，吸引我回到你身边。教导我只在你里面寻找喜乐、力量和目标。奉耶稣的名，阿们。