我挑選今天的經文，是因為它也許比聖經裡面的其他任何一段經文都更強調了人對自己的依靠。大家請留意神對猶大百姓的指控：「但我的子民將他們的榮耀，換了那無益的神」（11節），這個指控帶出了一個事實，是猶大的百姓對神的忠心，竟不及外邦人對外邦神的忠心。這個事實令神極其震怒，以致祂呼喚諸天為此作見證（12節）；接著，神指控百姓離棄了祂所供給的活水泉源、而轉向不能存水的池子（13節）。

你看到猶大的人民發生了甚麼事情嗎？起初，他們絕對倚靠神，只敬拜祂，只喝祂的活水，可惜過了不久，他們心裡便有了一種慾望，想要掌控自己的屬靈生命，要以自己認為合適的方式而行。每當神的子民這樣做的時候，無論他們的屬靈生命看似何等的光明和喜樂，他們都非常需要靈性上真正的復興。

「神為祂的子民供應活水」

進深研究
徒十九1-41；弗一15-16；啟二1-5

1. 以弗所教會需要甚麼？
2. 它被要求作甚麼？

祈禱
神啊！我們好像從前的猶大，開始的時候倚靠您，後來卻轉為依戀一些有形的東西，這一定令您很傷心。親愛的天父，求您赦免我們。奉耶穌的名祈求，阿們。

Heaven-Sent Revival

Day 309

"The swings of history"

"...They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns..." (v.13)

Bible reading:
Jeremiah 2:4-13

4 Hear the word of the Lord, you descendants of Jacob, all you clans of Israel.

5 This is what the Lord says: "What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.

6 They did not ask, 'Where is the Lord, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and utter darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?'

7 I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.

8 The priests did not ask, 'Where is the Lord?' Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.

9 "Therefore I bring charges against you again," declares the Lord. "And I will bring charges against your children's children.

10 Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and look, send to Kedar[a] and observe closely; see if there has ever been anything like this:

11 Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols.

12 Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder with great horror," declares the Lord.

13 "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.

Message

We continue meditating on the thought we touched upon yesterday, that one of the major reasons why we experience a spiritual lapse (and thus need to be revived) is our natural and stubborn commitment to independence. Historians talk about "the swings of history", and as far as the people of God are concerned, no swing is more evident in their history than the swing from dependence to independence.

The reason I have chosen the chapter that is before us today is because it highlights, perhaps better than any other passage in the entire Bible, this matter of independence. Note the charge which God brings against the people of Judah: "But My people have changed their Glory for what does not profit" (v.11, NKJ). This indictment bears down on the fact that the inhabitants of Judah were not as loyal to the Almighty as the pagans were to their own gods - a fact so astonishing to God that He calls on the heavens to bear witness to it (v.12). Next, He indicts them for failing to drink from the fountain of living water which He provides for His people and for turning instead to cisterns that can hold no water (v.13).

Can you see what had happened to the people of Judah? They had started off in absolute dependence on God - worshipping only Him and drinking from His fresh wells - but after a while they had felt within them the urge to take control of their spiritual lives and manage them as they thought fit. And whenever God's people do this, no matter how bright and seemingly happy their religious life may be, they are desperately in need of revival.

"God provides living water for His people"

Prayer
O God, how it must grieve You that we Your Church, like Judah of old, start off depending on You, but then hanker to put our reliance on things that are more tangible. Forgive us, dear Father. Forgive me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Further study
Acts 19:1-41
Ephesians 1:15-16
Revelation 2:1-5

1. What did the Ephesian church need?
2. What was it required to do?

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