“What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me?”

— Jeremiah 2:5

One hazard of technology today is the temptation to scroll aimlessly on social media or web feeds. Maybe we begin by looking for a recipe, but our search turns up a distracting new diet program, or we see a juicy update on a friend we haven’t seen in years—and before we know it, we’ve spent an hour wandering around the internet without a clear sense of direction.

Something similar can happen in our spiritual lives. Sin rarely captures us out of the blue. Instead, we begin small—with a little lie, or a grudge we can’t let go of, or a few too many drinks—and later we discover we have wandered far into places we never thought we would go.

The prophets reminded God’s people Israel that they had wandered from God’s way. They had followed idols—representing the sinful desires of the human heart—rather than walking with the Lord and obeying his directions. They stopped asking, “Where is God in our lives?” They turned away from the living water and dug cisterns that only ran dry.

When Jesus came, he declared that he is the “living water” who fills us with his guiding Spirit (John 7:37). Rather than scrolling aimlessly through life, let’s follow this Savior to keep close to God.

Lord, sometimes we don’t realize when or how far we stray from you. Guide us by your Spirit, we pray. Lead us to worthwhile endeavors that honor you, through Christ. Amen.