JEREMIAH 2:13

“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."

TO PONDER

In the late 1980's and early 1990's, Coca Cola had an advertising campaign in which it boasted, "you can't beat the real thing". Now without explicitly saying so, this was a claim made against their main competition in the cola market, Pepsi Cola. However, one has to wonder why so many people around the world today, (apparently almost 50% of soda drinkers) turn to the Coca Cola brand to quench their thirst. Surely water should be the go to beverage of choice.

Numerous studies and dietary analyses have been done over the years expressing the risks of not drinking enough water, and the negative health effects of sugary carbonated drinks like Coke. Tooth decay and obesity being among the first that come to mind. And yet, how many of us on a hot summer's day have reached for a can of Coke (or some other carbonated sugary drink, rather than a glass of water?

We all know which is better for us and yet we all go for the other option. This is our perpetual problem as followers of Jesus. We all know his way is best, we all know he is the real thing, and yet we are so easily fooled or seduced by the 'other' option. The 'other' could be anything, money, power, fame, family, relationships, sex, alcohol, drugs, you name it and humanity has probably tried it as a supplement to fill that God shaped hole inside of each of us. Only the real thing, Jesus Christ can meet that need. So don't turn from him, turn to him. Don't dig your own well or look for a drink elsewhere, only Jesus has the living water that will quench that thirst, so reach out and go for the 'real' real thing.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, there are so many things that claim to offer answers to life's questions, solutions to life's problems, and joy in life's sadness. Yet only you can truely meet the deepest needs and desires of our hearts. Help me turn to you for only you have the words and water of eternal life. Amen

Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle