I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Jeremiah 7-9.

    The people of Jerusalem thought that they were safe because the Temple was in Jerusalem. However, Jeremiah told them that they were mistaken. If they did not stop wallowing in evil thoughts and deeds they would indeed suffer the consequences. Jeremiah spelled out the sins which would lead to disaster. That list could be taken from the headlines today. Time and again we hear about how people are not treated with justice, and there are always those who are cheering on the injustice. We have a major debate going on over illegal aliens. No one involved appears to care that they are being exploited and are being used to allow others to be exploited as well. As a people we worship many things other than God, to our own detriment.

    Jeremiah goes on to condemn the people of Jerusalem for killing their own children as offerings to their idols, much as our society today does in the name of convenience. Rather than turn back when we have discovered that we have chosen the wrong path we compound our self-destructive behaviors. Even those who claim to follow God twist His words to support doing wrong. Our wise counselors tell us that our problem is our feeling of guilt, not the sin which leads to it. Rather than teach people to change the behaviors which destroy their lives, they teach people to not feel bad for doing wrong.

    Jeremiah reminds us that if we must boast we should not boast of our wealth, or our power, not even of our wisdom. The only thing which truly counts is whether we know God and understand that He is Lord (“the one to be obeyed”). As Paul states in Galatians what counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation by God’s Spirit. If we are going to boast, let us boast about God. When I speak to those around me who suffer from emotional and psychological distress, my lack of similar distress does not come from me being wiser, richer, more powerful than they. My lack of similar distress is the result of God transforming me. My lack of suffering is not because I am better than others. It is because God’s Spirit has changed me as He will do for them if they but ask.