Jeremiah 2:13 - Living Water or Broken Cistern? (updated - part two)

Jeremiah 2:13 - Living Water or Broken Cistern? (updated - part 
two) 

Jeremiah 2:13 (CWB)  My people have committed two very great 
sins. They have forsaken me, the Spring of Living Water, and have dug 
their own wells, wells that crack and cannot hold water. 

  A river touches places of which its source knows nothing, and 
Jesus says if we have received of His fullness, however small the 
visible measure of our lives, out of us will flow the rivers that will 
bless to the uttermost parts of the earth. We have nothing to do with 
the outflow--"This is the work of God that ye believe. . . ." God 
rarely allows a soul to see how great a blessing he is. 
  A river is victoriously persistent, it overcomes all barriers. 
For a while it goes steadily on its course, then it comes to an 
obstacle and for a while it is baulked, but it soon makes a pathway round 
the obstacle. Or a river will drop out of sight for miles, and 
presently emerge again broader and grander than ever. You can see God 
using some lives, but into your life an obstacle has come and you do 
not seem to be of any use. Keep paying attention to the Source, and 
God will either take you round the obstacle or remove it. The river 
of the Spirit of God overcomes all obstacles. Never get your eyes 
on the obstacle or on the difficulty. The obstacle is a matter of 
indifference to the river which will flow steadily through you if you 
remember to keep right at the Source. Never allow anything to come 
between yourself and Jesus Christ, no emotion, or experience; nothing 
must keep you from the one great sovereign Source. 
  Think of the healing and far-flung rivers nursing themselves 
in our souls! God has been opening up marvelous truths to our 
minds, and every point He has opened up is an indication of the wider 
power of the river He will flow through us. If you believe in Jesus, 
you will find that God has nourished in you mighty torrents of 
blessing for others. [My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers re 
John 7:37] 

  Johan is young, tall, blond, and Dutch.  I got to know him 
through my cousin, who attended the same Bible school in England.  
Gifted and handsome, Johan could have carved out a comfortable youth 
ministry in his native Netherlands - or most anywhere in the world, for 
that matter. 
  Comfort, however, isn't one of Johan's major goals.  He chose 
to take the gospel of Christ to the Bedouins and nomads near 
Israel's desolate Sinai desert.  A forgotten people in one of the most 
desolate corners of the world. 
  Johan works by an oasis near the sea, attracting travelers and 
Bedouins by offering hot meals, clothing, and first aid.... 
  From the Bedouins, Johan learned it is considered worse than 
murder if you know of a water source and yet neglect to tell your 
fellow man. 
  Few of us will ever live in a wilderness like the one where 
young Johan has pitched his tent.  Not many among us will ever 
proclaim salvation to desert nomads.  But all around us, no matter where 
we reside or work, there are thirsty men and women.  The neighbor 
down the street, the man at the service station, the boy who carries 
our groceries, the secretary who types and files, or even the 
distant aunt who occasionally comes by for visits. 
  If these people don't know Christ, they're going to die of 
thirst... 
  Do you know the Source of living water?  If you do please 
don't withhold a drink from somebody who is thirsty. 
  It's not just a matter of hospitality.  It's a matter of life 
and death. Joni Eareckson Tada [Time with God SB re John 7:37] 

What's better than a cool glass of water on a hot, dry day? 
Jesus paints that picture of Himself, promising spiritual refreshment 
to anyone who turns to Him in faith. The thirsty soul and others 
around benefit, since "rivers of living water will flow from the heart 
of the one who puts his trust in Me" (John 7:38). Don't you want to 
be refreshed? Don't you want to be a refresher? [The 365 Daily 
Promise Bible By Barbour re John 7:37]