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 13-15.

    Today’s passage starts with a metaphor which compares the people of God to a loincloth. Our purpose is to cling to God, to take pride in Him, not ourselves. If we allow our pride to lead us to think that we are the important ones, that pride separates us from God and acts like rot to destroy our usefulness. If we do not listen to God and allow ourselves to become like that rotted loincloth God will destroy us just as we would destroy such a rotted piece of clothing.

    I am struggling with how to word another thought (possibly two thoughts) which this passage generates in my mind. There will come a time when God will tell us to stop praying for those around us. Yet, in the middle of the passage where God is telling this to Jeremiah He also tells Him that He will protect those who return to Him. If we speak God’s words, those who rebel against Him will fight against us. But God will be our fortress and they will fail to conquer us. God calls us to influence those around us, but not be influenced by them. **I want to note that this assumes that those around us are in rebellion from God. It does not mean that we should not allow our fellow believers to influence us.** God will protect us and rescue us from the hands of the wicked.