Daily Devotionals
July 29, 2020
A Water Bottle on the Path
July 29, 2020
DAILY READING
FIELD NOTES
Have you ever been so thirsty that your craving for water was intense and relentless? I had such an experience when I was running one sunny morning in Florida. I had not brought a bottle of water with me, and I was in a remote area, far from any stores or restaurants. My mouth was parched and I was beginning to feel lightheaded.
Suddenly, a few yards ahead, I saw a plastic water bottle lying on the path. It looked full. I stopped, tried the top, and it was sealed. Gratefully, I twisted it and greedily drank a few gulps and poured some on my head. Relief!
Our reading today describes how the people of Israel had abandoned their faith in God and had gone after idols – false gods that were like “cracked cisterns” that could hold no water. God offered them himself – a fountain of living water that would never run out. And yet they wanted to go their own way, making do with stagnant, dirty water when they could have cold, clear streams.
Sometimes we find ourselves behaving like the Israelites, digging our own cracked cisterns instead of asking God for the living water that he so wants to give. We depend upon our own meager resources to live our lives instead of seeking God’s will and depending on God’s abundance.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FIELD
- Have you settled for cracked cisterns when you could have streams of living water? In what way?
- What can you do today to turn to God for abundant provision of your spiritual, emotional and physical needs?
FAMILY FIELD TALK
Think about a time when you have been really thirsty. What happened? Who was there to help you get something to drink? Just like when you were thirsty and someone was there to help you get a drink, God is there to help meet your daily needs. Think about what you’d like to ask for God’s help with.
PRAYER GUIDE
Living Water, we come to you thirsty and ready to be filled. Help us to abandon our cracked cisterns and depend on you for what we need. Amen.