Jeremiah 2

I was so struck by this passage in today’s chapter: “‘My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. Is Israel a servant, a slave by birth? Why then has he become plunder?… Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God and have no awe of me,’ declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.” (vs 13-14, 19)

Contrary to much popular belief, God doesn’t want life to be hard, He wants it to be easy! In offering Himself to the nation of Israel, He was offering them a spring of living water that would never run dry. They didn’t need to work for it; all they had to do was accept it! Instead, they turned their backs on the fresh water and decided to labor hard to dig their own wells. Unfortunately, once they had dug them, they found that they wouldn’t even hold water!

This is the plight of those who forsake God. They have walked away from the constant source of blessing, yet they are driven to find a way to meet their needs. So, they work hard in an attempt to meet their own needs—only to discover that they are utterly incapable of doing so. Only God, who knows us so well, can provide all that we need.

Through Jeremiah, God warns us that forsaking Him and His way of living will lead to an evil and bitter outcome. Life will not be easy; instead, it will be very hard. God doesn’t want that for us! Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt 11:28-30)

Today, God wants to make your way easy. Let Him be the One to meet your needs!