Jeremiah 7 - 19: Rotten shorts & the shattered pot

Lots of judgment and emotion unleashed in these chapters!
- A strong caution against "performance religion." God defines this as religion "whose life is all outsdie but no insdie" (Jeremiah 9:25-26).
- Rotten shorts:  God created an interesting illustration with a pair of linen shorts. He ordered Jeremiah to get some linen shorts, wear them, then bury them under a rock. Much later, he told Jeremiah to go and get the shorts. Of course they were rotten from the exposure and no longer good for anything. God told Jeremiah that the people were rotten, just like the shorts (Jer 13).
- The burden of ministry:  Jeremiah got personally involved as he experienced God's feelings due to the closer relationship and job as a prophet. In Chap 13:15-17, Jeremiah weeps bitter tears over the people's stubborn arrogance. I've seen pastors do this over their people, too.
- No hiding:  God searches our hearts and examines our minds (Jer 17:9-10).
- Don't forget the Sabbath:  God reminds the people to keep the Sabbath holy and not go about our "self-important" business. It's important to God, so this principle should be important to us (Jer 17:24-26).
- The shattered pot:  God uses another visual illustration when he instructs Jeremiah to take a clay pot and shatter it in front of the people to show them the coming judgment, and how hard it will be to put the pot back together.

Elena's verse of the day:  "Lord All-Powerful, you always do what is right, and yo know every thought. So I trust you to help me..." (Jeremiah 11:20).