Day 177 Jeremiah 16–18 Ecclesiastes 6

In Jeremiah 16, God tells Jeremiah not to marry or have children. He takes it as a sign of the times. The people have gone so far astray. The hardening of their hearts is seen in their choices.

In Jeremiah 17, God declares: The heart is deceitful above all things. Trusting in human strength brings curse, but trusting in God brings blessing. Jeremiah compares a life rooted in God to a tree planted by water- stable, fruitful, and unshaken by drought. Where is your heart rooted?

In Jeremiah 18, God sends Jeremiah to a potter’s house. The pot breaks in the potter’s hands, but he reshapes it as he wills. We are like clay, meant to be molded, but resistant. Or do we resist His shaping, only to crack under pressure?

In Ecclesiastes 6, Solomon describes a tragedy. Someone who has wealth, honor, even a hundred children, but no satisfaction. Without the ability to enjoy life’s blessings, all of it is meaningless. Long life or success means nothing if your soul is empty.