Jeremiah 1
The Book of Jeremiah has so many parallels to our life today, but the names and cultural references cause us to think it is irrelevant. Jeremiah the prophet watched his nation become corrupt and abandon God, and eventually collapse. His ministry lasted over 40 years and spanned 5 kings. He spoke to individuals, he spoke
Jeremiah 2
Jeremiah 2 reminds me how young teens will try something taboo once, with no apparent harm, and then conclude it makes them cool. Too often, years later they begin to experience the consequences. These decisions influence our friendships, our associations and our loves. Mild rebellion can lead to major problems over time. This happens with
Jeremiah 3
Jeremiah 3 reminds me that unfaithfulness in marriage is one of the most devastative things possible. The innocent spouse feels betrayed and belittled. This is magnified even more when the adultery is known to many. The offending partner also will suffer loss of reputation, loss of security and guilt. Once trust is broken, it
Jeremiah 4
Jeremiah 4 reminds me of the tsunami that hit Indonesia in 2004. The horrific videos show two important things; the warning signs were clear, and very few people took the right action. In many cases people were actually drawn to the empty shore as the tide withdrew just prior to the catastrophe. The curious
Jeremiah 5
Jeremiah 5 reminds me of the oath of a witness in court. They swear to “tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth”. There are many ways of deception and one is omitting the part that makes you look bad. Sometimes that can be done to spare feelings, but most often it
Jeremiah 6
Jeremiah 6 reminds me of my mother’s “butterfly stitches”. With seven kids, going to the doctor for every sniffle and cut was not an option. Mom would close a cut with a homemade strip of tape cut thin at the center. It closed the cut, but often left a scar. Not so bad for boys,
Jeremiah 7
Jeremiah 7 reminds me of the ironic line about the three biggest lies, the last one being “I love you”. It is a sad truth but those simple words have been used to manipulate, deceive, and take for centuries. How do we know the difference between deception and true love? Any time conditional words are
Jeremiah 8
Jeremiah 8 reminds me of an article about a coastal storm that hit in the days prior to satellites. Entire stretches of beach were destroyed and building collapsed and burned. Many lives were lost for lack of knowledge. Today we can forecast hurricanes accurately a week in advance, and yet, some still choose to ignore
Jeremiah 9
Jeremiah 9 reminds me of a recent speaker who told of a story so emotional it gave him a “man-tear in the corner of his eye”. Like most males, I was raised with the understanding that big boys don’t cry. I have learned that I cry in great joy, great sorrow and anytime I speak
Jeremiah 10
Jeremiah 10 reminds me that we have a pack mentality. In new or uncomfortable situations we feel comfort in conforming. Most people simply do what everyone else is doing because they don’t want to look foolish. We’ve all done it at a large event- just follow the crowd to the exit. In today’s chapter, Jeremiah