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Jeremiah 17 (ESV)

⁷ “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
⁸ He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

⁹ The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?
¹⁰ “I the Lord search the heart
and test the mind,
to give every man according to his ways,
according to the fruit of his deeds.”

¹¹ Like the partridge that gathers a brood that she did not hatch,
so is he who gets riches but not by justice;
in the midst of his days they will leave him,
and at his end he will be a fool.

¹² A glorious throne set on high from the beginning
is the place of our sanctuary.
¹³ O Lord, the hope of Israel,
all who forsake you shall be put to shame;
those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth,
for they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water.

¹⁴ Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;
save me, and I shall be saved,
for you are my praise.

 

REFLECTION:

This passage compares the two types of people who rely on people and those who rely on God. The people of Judah did not trust in Jehovah, but relied on idols and human power, so they became as desolate as deserts and wilderness. On the contrary, those who rely on Jehovah, as described in Psalm 1, are like a tree planted by a stream, and it will bear fruit on time without its leaves withering. In this passage, God clearly pointed out that the root of our sin lies in our own hearts, not social or family reasons. We have a tendency to sin since we were born and it is easy to forget and abandon God, but we can choose whether to continue sinning. When we are tempted by sin, we can easily fall into a trap, or we can ask God to save and help us to escape the snare. In addition, Jeremiah also pointed out that those who use improper means to get rich instantly, will eventually lead to stupidity and poverty. Today, we are in a world that is even more treacherous and corrupt than Jeremiah’s time. We should never abandon our God, seek His salvation and help, and draw strength from Him, because He is the fountain of living water. And we should remember that whether it is work or study, we should all be honest. Anyone who uses disgraceful means to get promoted, pass exams, or gain fame and status will not be blessed by the Lord, nor will it bring long-term benefits.

 

PRAYER:

Pray for God to strengthen your heart so that you can stand firm and not fall into the traps and snares of the world. Pray for God to enlighten you and enable you to examine whether some of the benefits you currently have are obtained in a way that offends God. If so, confess your sins to God and repent, and ask God to give you strength so that you will never commit the same weakness in the future.

 

HYMN:

As The Deer – youtu.be/5rrXC5uKVb4

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Jeremiah+016
 

Jeremiah 16 (ESV)

¹⁰ “And when you tell this people all these words, and they say to you, ‘Why has the Lord pronounced all this great evil against us? What is our iniquity? What is the sin that we have committed against the Lord our God?’ ¹¹ then you shall say to them: ‘Because your fathers have forsaken me, declares the Lord, and have gone after other gods and have served and worshiped them, and have forsaken me and have not kept my law, ¹² and because you have done worse than your fathers, for behold, every one of you follows his stubborn, evil will, refusing to listen to me. ¹³ Therefore I will hurl you out of this land into a land that neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods day and night, for I will show you no favor.’

14 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when it shall no longer be said, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ 15 but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers.

 

REFLECTION:

In this passage, Jeremiah declared God’s judgment to the people of Judah on behalf of God: because they were stubborn and rebellious, God would drive them out of the Promised Land where they lived for generations. Then God promised that when the day came, He would bring His people back into the land He gave to their ancestors, and they would experience a miracle greater than that of the exodus from Egypt (v15). The Book of Exodus records how God performed a miraculous salvation to save His people from Egypt’s slavery. God’s promise will never fail. We can see that the history of the Israelite’s return from exile is more glorious and memorable than that of Exodus. This history records the Israelite’s stubbornness and abandoning God, but God still treat them with infinite love and compassion. Today, do you also see the wonder of God’s salvation? In your personal growth experience, even though you are sometimes far away from God, have you experienced God’s guidance to you, never abandoning nor forsaking you?

 

PRAYER:

Come to God with a grateful heart, count the blessings of God, review your life journey, and see how many times you have been far away from God but He has pulled you back again? Pray that God will hold you tight with a cord of compassion, so that you can develop a closer relationship with Him.

 

HYMN:

Lead Me To The Cross – youtu.be/StW6ZKHRCFo

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Jeremiah+015
 

Jeremiah 15 (ESV)

¹⁵ O Lord, you know;
remember me and visit me,
and take vengeance for me on my persecutors.
In your forbearance take me not away;
know that for your sake I bear reproach.
¹⁶ Your words were found, and I ate them,
and your words became to me a joy
and the delight of my heart,
for I am called by your name,
O Lord, God of hosts.
¹⁷ I did not sit in the company of revelers,
nor did I rejoice;
I sat alone, because your hand was upon me,
for you had filled me with indignation.
¹⁸ Why is my pain unceasing,
my wound incurable,
refusing to be healed?
Will you be to me like a deceitful brook,
like waters that fail?

¹⁹ Therefore thus says the Lord:
“If you return, I will restore you,
and you shall stand before me.
If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,
you shall be as my mouth.
They shall turn to you,
but you shall not turn to them.
²⁰ And I will make you to this people
a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you,
but they shall not prevail over you,
for I am with you
to save you and deliver you,
declares the Lord.
²¹ I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”

 

REFLECTION:

Jeremiah blamed God for not helping him when he needed His help the most. Jeremiah felt anger, pain, and fear in his heart. He only took pity for his own experience and no longer focused on God’s will. God was not angry at Jeremiah, but just re-adjusted Jeremiah’s priorities through His response. As the spokesperson of God, Jeremiah’s primary duty is to influence others, not to be influenced by others. This passage reminds us that as God’s children, God wants us to trust Him in everything. We can express our deepest thoughts and emotions to God through prayer, even if we blame God. God will be gracious to us like He did to Jeremiah. He will be with us and save us from evil. At the same time, He also wants us to understand that no matter what environment we are in or what difficulties we encounter, as God’s people, our primary task is to represent God to influence those in the world who don’t know God, and to bear witness for God to manifest His glory.

 

PRAYER:

Pour out your incomprehension and even complaints about God in your heart, and listen carefully to God’s loving response. Ask God to make you obey the incomprehensible things, and lead you through this obedience. Make you a humble and holy child of God so that not only you will not be affected by the world, but to be a good witness for God among the non-believers.

 

HYMN:

Build My Life – www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZW4_8_zCBE

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Jeremiah+014
 

Jeremiah 14 (ESV)

¹⁹ Have you utterly rejected Judah?
Does your soul loathe Zion?
Why have you struck us down
so that there is no healing for us?
We looked for peace, but no good came;
for a time of healing, but behold, terror.
²⁰ We acknowledge our wickedness, O Lord,
and the iniquity of our fathers,
for we have sinned against you.
²¹ Do not spurn us, for your name’s sake;
do not dishonour your glorious throne;
remember and do not break your covenant with us.
²² Are there any among the false gods of the nations that can bring rain?
Or can the heavens give showers?
Are you not he, O Lord our God?
We set our hope on you,
for you do all these things.

 

REFLECTION:

This chapter and the next chapter begin with the drought that God will send to Judah and that God will not listen to their prayers for rain, and then describe the scene of future judgment that Jeremiah prophesied. The drought is a devastating disaster that God brought to the judgment of Judah. Facing this disaster, the people of Judah did not ask God for help until they were desperate. However, they only wanted God’s help and rescue, but they still refused to repent of their sins. Jeremiah interceded for the people, asking God whether he would save the people of Judah after they repented. God said that he would not, because the people of Judah did a lot of evil and were stubborn and had no sincerity to repent. Although they know that God is willing to bless and what to do to be blessed, they just want to be blessed and don’t want to do their part. When we do something wrong, it’s easy to express regret, and it’s easier to gain benefits by superficial regret. However, the most important thing is to stop committing sins immediately. We should remember that true repentance includes two steps: “repent” and “reform”. Repentance without reform is just a fake verbal promise and will never please God. God is merciful and He forgives all those who sincerely repent. However, God is also righteous and He will severely punish hypocrites.

 

PRAYER:

Pray for God to mould your life so that you can have a deeper experience, not only at the level of praying for God’s blessing, but being able to deal with your sins more thoroughly. Confess to God the sins you understand in your heart but have been unwilling to confess. Resolve to God to put your repentance into action, no matter how great the cost of repentance is.

 

HYMN:

At The Cross – youtu.be/Zev5tHjCB_s

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Jeremiah+013
 

Jeremiah 13 (ESV)

¹ Thus says the Lord to me, “Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it around your waist, and do not dip it in water.” ² So I bought a loincloth according to the word of the Lord, and put it around my waist. ³ And the word of the Lord came to me a second time, ⁴ “Take the loincloth that you have bought, which is around your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.” ⁵ So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the Lord commanded me. ⁶ And after many days the Lord said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take from there the loincloth that I commanded you to hide there.” ⁷ Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and I took the loincloth from the place where I had hidden it. And behold, the loincloth was spoiled; it was good for nothing.

⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ⁹ “Thus says the Lord: Even so will I spoil the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. ¹⁰ This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own heart and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this loincloth, which is good for nothing. ¹¹ For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen.

 

REFLECTION:

Jeremiah used dramatic actions to convey God’s message according to God’s instructions, because actions give a deeper impression in people, often more than words. Jeremiah repeatedly used actions to preach the message, in order to arouse the curiosity and alertness of the people, so that they could understand his meaning better. The spoiled linen loincloth is a metaphor for the end of the Kingdom of Judah. Although those people had a close relationship with God, they were cast aside by God because of their arrogance and pride and became worthless waste. Proud people always overestimate everything about themselves and often appear pretentious, but God says that pride makes them worthless. Pride will corrupt our hearts until our lives have fallen to a point where they are of no use value in the eyes of God. Pride is one of the most serious sins of all sins. Pride can make people who have been close to God far away from God, and even resist and disobey God. The fall of the devil is due to pride. We should be vigilant and remember the image of the spoiled linen loincloth of Jeremiah in our hearts. We should always be reminded to be humble, not to give the devil a foothold, and not to let pride corrupt our soul and life to a point where we become worthless in the eyes of God.

 

PRAYER:

Pray that God will make you remember the spoiled linen loincloth of Jeremiah, which represents the corruption of life brought about by pride. Pray that God will examine your heart so that you can see your pride hidden in the depths of your soul. Ask God to destroy this pride no matter if it is expressed in overestimating oneself, judging others, or any other form of expression.

 

HYMN:

I Will Boast – youtu.be/pBfOcJGEKUU

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Jeremiah+012
 

Jeremiah 12 (ESV)

¹ Righteous are you, O Lord,
when I complain to you;
yet I would plead my case before you.
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why do all who are treacherous thrive?
² You plant them, and they take root;
they grow and produce fruit;
you are near in their mouth
and far from their heart.
³ But you, O Lord, know me;
you see me, and test my heart toward you.
Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
and set them apart for the day of slaughter.
⁴ How long will the land mourn
and the grass of every field wither?
For the evil of those who dwell in it
the beasts and the birds are swept away,
because they said, “He will not see our latter end.”

 

REFLECTION:

Many people, including prophets and psalmists in the Old Testament (such as the author of Psalm 73) have asked this question: “Why does the way of the wicked prosper?” Although Jeremiah knew that God would eventually demonstrate His justice, he was still full of indignation and envy when he saw the wicked gain power. He hoped that the day when God shows justice will come soon. Although Jeremiah loved God and obeyed His will, he was often persecuted. He prayed for God to relieve his suffering, but God’s response was: “If you feel unbearable now, how can you bear it when the real difficulties arise?” When we are bullied we will naturally want to seek justice. However, we must also bear in mind that if God really punishes us immediately for everything we do, then our own consequences are also worrying. Not all God’s responses to prayer are readily acceptable to us. All believers who have experienced suffering and injustice understand this deeply. Even if the situation worsens, God’s response may not bring immediate improvement, but we still have to be completely committed to Him and firmly believe that everything that God allows to happen is for our benefit. We should reflect on ourselves and see if we have offended God, and with a humble and repentant heart, we continue marching forward on a narrow, rugged road without applause or cheers.

 

PRAYER:

Come to God humbly, pray to God for the difficulties you are facing now. Don’t ask God to solve the problem for you right away, but ask God to let you experience His guidance and training for you in the difficult situation. If your difficulties are so great that you feel unbearable, ask God to comfort you, so that you understand that all this happens with God’s good intentions, even if you don’t understand at the moment, you are still willing to trust God, and walk with God.

 

HYMN:

In Control – youtu.be/YVS6hTRgOOI

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Jeremiah+011

 

Jeremiah 11 (ESV)

¹ The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ² “Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ³ You shall say to them, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Cursed be the man who does not hear the words of this covenant ⁴ that I commanded your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Listen to my voice, and do all that I command you. So shall you be my people, and I will be your God, ⁵ that I may confirm the oath that I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day.” Then I answered, “So be it, Lord.”

 

REFLECTION:

This passage mainly describes Judahites’ breach of the covenant and God’s rebuke to them through Jeremiah’s mouth. God also promises that if they repent, keep the covenant, and obey God’s instructions, He will always be with them, otherwise they will be severely punished by God. God’s words to exhort Judah to repent were clear and plain, and they were said more than once or twice. Why, despite God’s repeated rebuke, comfort, and warning, the people of Judah still wouldn’t get back on the right path? Because they have forgotten God’s grace long ago, and they have no longer needed God. Today, we should reflect, among all our needs, is God our greatest need? If not, we are in danger. If worldly needs are allowed to rule in our lives, we will be firmly caught in the snare of the devil. One day we will become like the Judahites back then, completely deaf to the call of God, completely forget the new covenant God made with us through the blood of Jesus Christ.

 

PRAYER:

Pray that God will have mercy on you, be sympathetic to your weakness, and supply all the needs of your body, mind, and spirit. Pray that God will make you understand that the greatest need in a person’s life is God Himself, and nothing else. Your spirit can only rest in the embrace of God. Only then will you get the ultimate satisfaction. Ask God to enable you not only to understand this truth in your mind, but also to enable you to actually verify this truth in your life experience.

 

HYMN:
Lord I Need You – youtu.be/4Ccwoj9VKL4
 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Jeremiah+010
 

Jeremiah 10 (ESV)

⁶ There is none like you, O Lord;
you are great, and your name is great in might.
⁷ Who would not fear you, O King of the nations?
For this is your due;
for among all the wise ones of the nations
and in all their kingdoms
there is none like you.
⁸ They are both stupid and foolish;
the instruction of idols is but wood!
⁹ Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish,
and gold from Uphaz.
They are the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith;
their clothing is violet and purple;
they are all the work of skilled men.
¹⁰ But the Lord is the true God;
he is the living God and the everlasting King.
At his wrath the earth quakes,
and the nations cannot endure his indignation.

 

REFLECTION:

Tarshish was located in the western part of the ancient world, probably in the area of ​​Spain today. This place produces minerals such as silver, tin, lead, and iron. The location of Uphaz is unknown. The name originally meant “refined gold”, which is a metallurgical term. Tarshish and Uphaz are both places that provide high-quality raw materials for people to make idols. Do idols really teach? More likely it is idol worshippers talking to themselves! These so-called teachings only express human desires and ambitions. Those who worship idols in ancient times are really ignorant, because idols, no matter how exquisite and beautiful they are made, are nothing more than lifeless pieces of gold, stone or wood. Similarly, in modern society, people who worship various invisible idols such as fame, fortune and power are also stupid. People spend their entire lives of time and energy chasing invisible idols. How is it different from those ancient people who spent a lot of money to decorate tangible idols, thinking that the more beautiful they are, the more capable they are? No matter how ingenious the tangible idols are made, and no matter how much worldly benefits the various intangible idols can bring to people, they will not endow people with an abundant life. A truly wise person receives blessings from the true and living God, and such blessings will last forever. May all of us be such wise people, relying on God throughout our lives, and gain the honour from heaven.

 

PRAYER:

Pray for God to give you more, greater, and deeper wisdom, so that you can see through everything under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Pray for God to make you understand that no matter how great the worldly benefit is, it will not bring you abundant life, or even prolong your life. Dedicate yourself to God, that from now on you will rely more on Him and receive eternal blessings from Him.

 

HYMN:

No Other Name – youtu.be/Wku9OphQ7JE

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Jeremiah+009
 

Jeremiah 9 (ESV)

¹² Who is the man so wise that he can understand this? To whom has the mouth of the Lord spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through? ¹³ And the Lord says: “Because they have forsaken my law that I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice or walked in accord with it, ¹⁴ but have stubbornly followed their own hearts and have gone after the Baals, as their fathers taught them. ¹⁵ Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will feed this people with bitter food, and give them poisonous water to drink. ¹⁶ I will scatter them among the nations whom neither they nor their fathers have known, and I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them.”

 

REFLECTION:

Stubbornness is a trait that every proud person will show. Pride makes people stubborn, and stubbornness makes people unrepentant and do whatever they want according to their own will. The result is self-defeating and ruin. It was the case of Judah in ancient times, and it is the same for many people today. We should be vigilant. When we see others swallowing the bitter fruit of pride and stubbornness, we should not forget that we are also not a person who obeys God in everything. Our hearts also hide pride and stubbornness that people don’t know. Some of the twists and turns in our lives are also caused by our own pride and stubbornness. What people don’t know, God can see clearly. Each of us is naked and open before God. May God remove all the pride in our hearts and make our lives more humble and holy, so we will taste more of the sweetness bestowed by God.

 

PRAYER:

Come to God humbly, and ask God to enlighten you so that you can see the hidden pride and stubbornness in your heart. Ask God to make you understand the danger of pride and stubbornness: if you let it develop, you will also become one who devour bitter fruits and are punished by God. Ask God to be king in your life completely, remove all the pride in your heart, so that you can walk humbly in all things.

 

HYMN:

Humble My Heart – youtu.be/pTW6ctyXm1o

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Jeremiah+008
 

Jeremiah 8 (ESV)

⁸ “How can you say, ‘We are wise,
and the law of the Lord is with us’?
But behold, the lying pen of the scribes
has made it into a lie.
⁹ The wise men shall be put to shame;
they shall be dismayed and taken;
behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord,
so what wisdom is in them?
¹⁰ Therefore I will give their wives to others
and their fields to conquerors,
because from the least to the greatest
everyone is greedy for unjust gain;
from prophet to priest,
everyone deals falsely.
¹¹ They have healed the wound of my people lightly,
saying, ‘Peace, peace,’
when there is no peace.
¹² Were they ashamed when they committed abomination?
No, they were not at all ashamed;
they did not know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among the fallen;
when I punish them, they shall be overthrown,
says the Lord.

 

REFLECTION:

This passage describes the false wisdom, false godliness, and false peace of the people of Judah. ​​Everything is false. They think they are wise, but in fact there are lies and greed hidden in their wisdom, their wisdom is just petty tricks in the world which are extremely stupid in reality. They use worldly methods to heal and comfort people, thinking that they can find peace in this way. There is no peace at all, while they are just deceiving themselves. And in all these abominations, they “were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush” (v12) and greatly offended God. Wouldn’t the righteous and holy God condemn them? The conditions of the Judahites back then remind us today, because there is nothing new under the sun, and what happened before will still happen now. Our world today is also full of deceitful tricks, fill with desires and lies. People seek false things to rely on, thinking that they can get peace from them, but in fact their hearts are full of anxieties. We should be constantly reflecting as we are in such an environment, to see whether our lives are also polluted by this worldly turbid current? May the inner peace in each of us be true peace, rooted and built on God’s faithful promise.

 

PRAYER:

Come to God quietly, examine your heart, and see if your peace is built on the foundation of lies, and see if you have replaced the desire for God’s great wisdom with the petty tricks in the world. Ask God to give you true peace, make you stand firm in the torrent of the world.

 

HYMN:

There Is None Like You – youtu.be/EP0Wwn53ZgI