Clay Vessels

A person shaping a clay pot on a spinning wheel, with hands covered in clay. The image features the quote from Jeremiah 18:2 NIV overlayed on top.

*Jeremiah 17-18

Psalm 126

Luke 9

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            Genesis 2:7 states that God made man from the “dust of the ground“, and the literal translation of “dust” in this could equally be translated as “dirt/dust/clay/mud/earth”.  The literal origin of the species* happened at this time, according to scripture, when God made man (from the dirt/clay/mud  of the earth) and “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life“.  “Breath” in this verse is also the same exact word for spirit in the original language, by the way, so you could honestly say with accuracy that every human being who is living and breathing at this moment in time has a small piece of the “spirit” or “breath” of God in them.  That’s what animates us all, and gives us life.

            This is an important concept and it’s ramifications to our place in the universe are pretty extensive.  We exist solely because God (1) formed us out of the dirt and (2) breathed into us His breath or spirit, which gave us life.  This is a conscious act of creation, an act of will, an intentional making which caused us to be.  It’s easy to forget sometimes, when we see some of the other tiny little humans walking about that are famous, wealthy, beautiful, full of pride, etc. Etc.; but we are all creations, jars of clay formed by our creator, God.  We live solely because our lungs are filled with the “breath”, or “spirit”, of God.  Regardless of our status towards the other humans, we are all the same before God: vessels of clay, which He has formed and animated, creations which He owns since He made it all.

            There are a couple verses in Job that I like a lot specifically because they highlight these simple teachings.  In Job 33:6 it says: “Behold, I am toward God even as you are. I am also formed out of the clay. ” when the young Elihu speaks to Job, and later in that same conversation, in 34:14-15 he says: “If he set his heart on himself, if he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath, all flesh would die together and man would turn again to dust.“.  Think about that for a moment.  God, as the creator of the earth and all the things in it (even us) has absolute authority over all of it, because it is His.  This is clearly stated throughout scripture, and most beautifully put in Psalms 24:1 “The earth is Yahweh’s, and all it contains; the world, and those who dwell in it.“.

            In our Jeremiah reading today, we get a pretty clear restatement of this simple concept.  Jeremiah 18:1-4 reads: “The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying, “Get up and go down to the potter’s house and I will tell you my message there.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he was making a work on the wheels. Whenever the vessel that he made of the clay came out ruined in the hand of the potter, he made it again, into another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. “.  It’s a very straightforward visual lesson: perform the purpose for which you are created or else back in the bucket you’ll go.  God is the divine potter, we are his clay.

            A while back, there was a famous (and now disgraced) comedian who had a great bit in his show about a parental warning that his father gave to his 7 year old self that went something like this: “I brought you into this world, and I can take you out. And it don’t make no difference to me, I’ll make another one look just like you”.  Hilarious when presented in the comedy show, it’s a bit ominous and concerning when it turns out to be a scriptural accuracy that is clearly demonstrated in our reading today.

            Here are a couple verses to compare and consider, from Jeremiah 17 (please note that ALL scriptures from today’s devotion are quoted from the REV translation, available free online):

“5This is what Yahweh says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in humans and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart departs from Yahweh.” 

“7Blessed is the one who trusts in Yahweh, and whose confidence is Yahweh.”

“9The heart is deceitful above all things, and is incurable; who can know it?”

            To trust in humans is a curse, to trust in Yahweh is a blessing, and our own hearts are deceitful above all things.  This means that even if we really feel like something is right, we need to compare it to scripture and see if it meets the criteria before we can make a discerning judgment. 

            In my sabbath school class this morning, I heard for the second time a teaching I was unfamiliar with from scripture, the concept that Adam and Eve wore “robes of light” in the garden of Eden.  It’s a common belief in the denomination of the church I was attending this morning.  Everyone in the class was on board with this belief, but I was unfamiliar with it. 

            I double checked in scripture, and then raised my hand and politely asked about it.  We all had a very respectfully polite and loving conversation about it; while there were some later verses that could be read in a specific way to imply that such a thing might exist (or come to exist for believers), nothing in scripture stated this specifically and more to the point in question, there was nowhere in scripture during the creation story that stated or even implied that Adam and Eve were wearing such a thing (and some verses which seemed to potentially contradict this belief).

            As a result, and since scripture is the ruler by which we should measure all of our beliefs, we as a group came to the conclusion that while it was not necessarily detrimental to salvation and perfectly acceptable to be held as a personal belief, the belief that Adam and Eve wore “robes of light” in the garden couldn’t be found anywhere in scripture and therefore shouldn’t be spoken of with certainty when teaching (at least without a caveat mentioned).  This conversation was all done in love and unity, with a common seeking an understanding of God’s word.  We didn’t all agree on the “robes of light”, but we did all agree that scripture should be our guide.

            I offer the above (true) story as a template to a loving and respectful way that we can, as a body of believers, seek after the truth of God’s word in humility and respect and to weigh the truth of scripture against what our heart may hold dear as it has been presented to us in the traditions of man.  It’s ok to raise your hand.  It’s ok to ask questions.  It’s ok to lovingly request clarification on any specific belief or tradition.  Then, it’s required to compare that to what the scriptures say, because trusting in men is a curse, but trusting in Yahweh is a blessing.  Even if you really feel strongly about something in your heart, because the heart is deceitful above all else.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. Think of a time when you really wanted something to be true, but it just wasn’t.  How many things did you just think of?
  2. Of all those times you just thought about, how many times was your mistaken belief because you were deceived by others compared to you deceiving yourself?
  3. Do you find yourself sometimes thinking that your jar of clay is better than someone else’s, or vice versa?  Why?  Do you think that’s scripturally accurate?

PRAYER

Father God, you have created not only me but all things here on the earth.  You are my maker, I am your creation.  Father forgive me when I fall short, please mold me to serve the purpose which you intended for me.  Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me, for your glory.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

*-The question of the origin of the species can be boiled down to a simple and single binary question: is the existence of man(kind) planned or random?  Mathematical Physicist Robert Pemrose has calculated that the probability of a life-supporting universe arising by chance as 1 in 10^10^123, which is an infinitesmally small percentage.  This in turn suggests that the precise constants required for life make a random origin of our existence statistically impossible, thereby increasing the likelihood of a conscious creator to near certainty.  Just some math stuff for you nerds.

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Who Touched Me?

*Jeremiah 15-16

Psalm 126

*Luke 8

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            If you read yesterday’s devotion, do you remember there being at least 8 devotions worth of material in Luke 8?  Well, lucky day, since Luke 8 is partially in today’s reading too, one of them (the woman who touched Jesus and was healed) is going to be our primary study today.

            Before we go there though, just a touch upon our Jeremiah reading today.  If you read through these chapters, it really sounds like God is super-pi….well, let’s just say really angry. If you wonder why, check out the devotion from  June 17th this year entitled “Tingling Ears”.  Manasseh means “forgetting” or “causing to forget”, and Manasseh caused the Israelites to forget about God, while being credited in a number of scriptures as being so bad that he pretty much caused the babylonian exile (and the destruction of the temple) because of his sins.  In Jeremiah 15:4 specifically it says: “And I will make them an object of horror among all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, because of what he did in Jerusalem.”.   Just another clear reminder that just because you come from good stock doesn’t mean you’re good.

            Moving forward to Luke 8, let’s talk about the woman who touched Jesus, as there are a couple interesting points to make here.  First let’s set the scene a little.  Jesus and the twelve are travelling about, preaching and healing people, along with a group of benefactor ladies (Luke 8:1-3).  Huge crowds are gathering to hear what this Jesus guy is saying, people are even being healed, so everywhere he goes there’s a crowd either curious to hear his words or maybe even to get lucky enough to be healed of an affliction.  Maybe even both.  Jesus got in a boat to get some peace, calmed a storm, cast out demon(s), and then returned.  When he got back, the crowds were waiting on him.

            So, did you ever wonder if Jesus obeyed Jewish law?  He did.  When the woman in the crowd touched Jesus and was healed, she touched what is commonly translated as “the hem of his robe”.  What she actually touched was the fringe (or tassel) of Jesus’ garment, which was the part of the clothing known as the “tzitzit” worn by faithful Jewish men in obedience to biblical commands (found in Num 15:38 and Deut 22:12).  So yes, our Messiah was a very faithful and law obeying Jewish man, just as it was prophesied throughout scripture that he would be.  The seed of the woman, an Israelite man which God would raise up from among his brothers “like Moses” who would be completely obedient, a genealogical descendant of David.

            When the woman touched Jesus’ tassel and was healed, he felt the power go out of him.  There’s an interesting discussion here in Luke 8:45-48, in which Jesus asks who touched him.  Once, while attending a “traditional, orthodox” church,  a teacher speaking about this event told me (and the rest of the class) “well, he actually already knew, because God is omniscient…”.  Let’s pause a moment there and consider that.  While I’d agree that omniscience is probably a trait of God (Yahweh),  it seems as if in addition to many of the other notable traits and characteristics that distinguish the son of God (Yeshua) from God Himself (Yahweh), Jesus did not share this trait.  To imply that Jesus, our Messiah, would intentionally dissemble and mislead seems rather silly to me, and ill informed and ungracious at best.  Jesus, as the man God sent, only spoke the words that God told him to speak (and that’s according to Jesus himself, see John 12:49) so I think we can safely rule that theory out completely and move on to the simpler, more honest, reading.

            We don’t know the woman’s name* who touched Jesus in the crowd, the bible doesn’t mention it.   We do know that she was suffering for 12 years from  a chronic bleeding condition, “a discharge of blood” (possibly menstrual), which would render her ceremonially unclean and socially isolated under Jewish law.  To even touch an unclean person under Jewish law meant that you became unclean too.  What’s the big deal though?

            It’s a bigger deal than you can possibly imagine.  In the ancient world, the Jewish people had at the core of their social identity as a people the common belief in the one God, the God who had saved them from Egypt and claimed them as a people, and there was only one place in Israel that it was acceptable to go and worship this God, and that was at the Temple in Jerusalem.  You could not enter the temple if you were unclean, not without a very specific (and time consuming) ritual cleansing.  If you had a chronic bleeding condition, you could never become ritually clean, and therefore you could never enter the temple.  You couldn’t make your sacrifices before God.  You were cut off, not only from your people, but from your God. 

            Put it in your own social terms.  Let’s say you live in a medium-sized town, and everybody in this town goes to one church.  Now imagine that nobody will socialize with you or even approach you, and the only place that you can go to that everyone else goes to is denied to you.  In addition, even though you want to serve God, the only place you’re allowed to do it is at this church, which you’re not allowed in.  Feel isolated yet?  It was exponentially worse for this woman, because the core of the Jewish identity centered around the temple, and the belief and worship of the one God, which could only ritually take place in the temple.  This woman had no friends, and couldn’t even officially approach God, not like the rest of the Israelites could.  Just imagine how that would make you feel.

            When Jesus found out who had touched him, he didn’t rebuke her.  He didn’t scold her as an unclean woman touching a faithful and ritually clean Jewish man.  He blessed her, and told her that her faith had made her clean.  From this point, all she had to do was to go and see a priest, serve out the prescribed time for purification, and then she could enter the Temple.  Jesus restored her ability to have a direct relationship to God.  He brought her back in to the tribe of Israel socially as well, and enabled her to be a part of the nation that was no longer isolated and excluded.

            No matter who you are, no matter what tribe you are from, no matter what the color of your skin is, what language you speak, or what nation you live in: Jesus offers us this same invitation.  A chance to remove our affliction, to restore us to our God, and to be a part of the kingdom.  An opportunity, for those of us bold enough and willing to just reach out and try to touch him.  Even if it’s just the hem of his robe.  All praise to the God who sent him, our king is a restorer, a mender of the breach, a repairer of what is broken.  Thank you, Jesus.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

  1. Had you ever considered the social and spiritual ramifications of having a chronic bleeding illness in the ancient Israelite world, based on Jewish law?
  2. Had you ever considered that our king, Jesus, was a (Jewish) law abiding man, and what the ramifications of that are to us today?
  3. Had you ever considered the deeper implications of why Jesus didn’t know who touched him?

Prayer

Father God, thank you for sending us your son.  Please heal us.  Thank you for all of the blessings that you have given us, all undeserved and unwarranted on our part.  Please help me to glorify your name, to obey your laws, and to follow the teachings of the one you sent to us.  In Jesus name, Amen.

* It should be noted that later “church tradition” does identify her by name with some other interesting and apocryphal trivia about her, but like any church traditions that aren’t explicitly in scripture, they should be discarded with the waste water.

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False Prophets

*Jeremiah 13-14

Psalm 125

*Luke 8

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            Luke 8 alone (ironically) has enough material for about 8 devotions all by itself by my reckoning, so please read it thoroughly as we’ll be moving along quickly to get to some other juicy bits today.  Aside from the (1)women supporting the ministry (see below), we have (2) the parable of the sower (hugely important concepts) and it’s explanation, (3) the parable of the hidden lamp (nothing is hidden that will not be revealed!), (4) Jesus’ mother and brothers (are the ones hearing and doing the word of God), (5) Jesus calms the storm (and teaches about faith), (6) Jesus casts out demons (into pigs, and gains a follower), (7) Jesus heals a woman who touches him (whose affliction would have kept her from going to the temple to worship), and (8) Jesus raises a dead girl (who he says has “fallen asleep”).  Whew.  Busy chapter, easily 8 full devotions worth.

            The first 3 verses here are interesting because after it mentions Jesus and his disciples (specifically “the twelve”) travelling about and preaching, it also says “certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, and then lists 3 specific names, but says that there were “many others” who were providing for them out of their own resources.

            Of the 3 ladies mentioned by name, Susanna has no other references in the bible, Mary Magdalene* has numerous other references in scripture, and then Joanna, who was married to Chuza, has no other mention in the bible.  An interesting note though: Joanna was Chuza’s wife, who was Herod’s manager.  This would be Herod Antipas, there were 5-6 Herods in scripture starting with “Herod the Great” (who was not so great, and was responsible for the massacre of infants in the Bethlehem area shortly after Jesus birth).  Herod Antipas was Herod the Great’s son, and is noted for his rule and roles in the executions of John the Baptist, and Jesus of Nazareth.  That Herod.  His manager’s wife was a noted follower of Jesus.  Interesting, isn’t it?  You’re welcome, history nerds!

            The Jeremiah reading today is going to be our focus.  In Jeremiah 13, God commands Jeremiah to buy a linen loincloth (skivvies).  The word used here can also be translated as “belt, waistband, or girdle”, but the idea is that it was a cloth that was worn close to the body around the waist.  He’s told to go bury the loincloth and then retrieve it “after many days” and when he does it’s worthless and gross, and this is to be a visual sign to Israel and Judah.  As visual signs and prophecies go, as gross as it sounds putting on a nasty ruined loincloth, in this instance Jeremiah could have had it a lot worse (See Isaiah 20 for comparison).  This visual prophecy, like most that God gives His people, is another attempt to guide them back to Him, which really speaks a lot toward the character of our loving and merciful God.

            Here’s what I’d like to focus on today, though.  In Jeremiah 14, false prophets have come among the people of Israel, telling them that everything is going to be fine and not to worry.  Jeremiah is upset about this, and mentions it to God, see below:

13Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You will not see the sword, nor will you have famine, but I will give you lasting peace and prosperity in this place.’” 14Then Yahweh said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in my name. I did not send them, nor have I commanded them, nor did I speak to them. They prophesy to you a lying vision, and worthless divination, and the deceptions of their own heart. 15Therefore this is what Yahweh says: As for the prophets who prophesy in my name although I did not send them, yet they keep saying, ‘Sword and famine will not be in this land,’ By sword and famine those prophets will be consumed. 16And the people they prophesy to will be cast out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword, and they will have no one to bury them—them, nor their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters—because I will pour their wickedness on them. (REV translation)

            There are false prophets among the people, they are telling the people what they want to hear, but they are telling lies and God didn’t send them or tell them to say these things.  Sound familiar? The point of concern here though is that the people will still be held accountable!  God gave us His word as a template, by which we are to measure the words of men.  Why is it important to be discerning with your understanding of scripture? Because God has already told us: of His nature, of what is to come, of what our expectations are.  We change these precepts, ignore them, or listen to others who speak contrary to these things at our own peril.  We will be held accountable.

            There are false prophets today, too.  In 1 Timothy 4:1 it tells us that in the last days they’ll abound.  We generally think that we’re in the last days now.  Why would they do such a thing, though?  Well, we had a discussion about this just recently at church Saturday morning: it could be people seeking profit or gain, it could be people seeking fame or social status, and it could also be genuine people who themselves have been deceived and are now in all earnestness and good intentions deceiving others.  The point is, it doesn’t matter why.  If you allow yourself to be misled, you will be held accountable.  How then are we to discern what is truth, and what is a lie?

            Isaiah 8:20 “Turn to the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light of dawn in them.“  (REV translation used).  Think about it.  If you listen to someone who speaks against exactly (and only) what the Bible says, they don’t have a morning, and neither will you.  Be discerning.  Abhor tradition and teachings where it contradicts scripture.  In Ephesians 6:10-17 when speaking of the “Armor of God”, among all of the defensive items of armor listed there is only one offensive tool mentioned with which we can fight, and it is the sword of the spirit, the word of God, the scriptures.  If you don’t know how to wield it, there’s a good chance you’re going to get murdered.  Practice with your sword and read your Bible, for your own sake, and for the love of God.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. How many false prophets can you think of, off the top of your head?
  2. How many of these do you think are genuinely earnest people, who have themselves been decieved?
  3. How many times a day/week do you read your Bible?  Would you read it more if your life depended on it? (spoiler alert: it does.)

Prayer

Father God, you have warned us of those who have eyes but are blind, and those who have ears but are deaf.  Please Father, open our eyes, clean out our ears, and speak to us clearly so that we are not deceived.  Lead us and guide us, whisper to us and tell us the way in which we should go.  Have mercy upon your people, Lord God, for your own name’s sake.  Thank you, in Jesus name, amen.

* Since the rooting out and exposing of unscriptural church traditions has become something of a hobby for me, it should be noted regarding Mary Magdalene that the belief that she was a repentant sex worker or the sister of Martha and Lazarus stems from later church traditions and misinterpretations, not from scriptural text. She was however “healed of seven demons” and contributed to Jesus’ ministry financially, in addition to getting honorable mention in all 4 of the gospels, and being the first to arrive at the empty tomb of Jesus after his resurrection.

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Are You Keeping Your Promises? 

The devotion by Cayce Fletcher reflects on the nature of promises and covenants, highlighting humanity’s tendency to break commitments. It draws parallels between God’s covenant with Israel and our relationships today. Despite human unfaithfulness, God remains steadfast. Fletcher encourages readers to evaluate their promises and live faithfully, inspired by God’s unwavering commitment.

Jer 11-12

Ps 125

Luke 7

-Devotion by Cayce Fletcher

One of my favorite movies is the original animated Beauty and the Beast. In one of the scenes, Cogsworth is explaining how to ‘woo’ a woman, and he says you do it with “flowers, chocolates, promises you don’t intend to keep.”

A promise is supposed to be something that is lasting. That you are committed to upholding. But, unfortunately, today, promises are viewed as disposable. 

From the covenant of marriage, to the relationships between family members, to simple contractual obligations, everyone seems to be breaking their word. It’s almost like the human bent is to break our promise. 

In today’s passage, we read of a similar story: God is reminding Israel of their covenant promise, but Israel refuses to listen. In Exodus (through Deuteronomy), God establishes the Mosaic covenant with His people. In Deuteronomy 30, he presents to them a choice: Choose life and keep the covenant, or choose death and reject it. 

Jeremiah reminds the people of the covenant that was made in the wilderness, which the people continue to break (Jer. 11). God continually called them back, but the people continued to reject Him. 

The old covenant has given way to the new covenant, which we are under today in Christ. The curtain is torn (Matt. 27:51), the old covenant is done away with, and through Christ we are able to enter into the Most Holy Place (Heb. 10:19). We don’t have to wear bells and fear dropping dead; instead, the very Spirit of God has come to dwell in us as His temple (1 Cor. 6:19). 

The story of Israel reminds us just how easy it is for people to make promises to God and then slowly wander away from them. We can sing the songs, say the prayers, and profess our devotion—and then live as though those promises have little bearing on our everyday lives.

But God is not like us. He does not make “promises He doesn’t intend to keep.” Throughout Scripture, even as His people prove themselves unfaithful again and again, God remains faithful.

And because He has been faithful to us, we are called to be faithful to Him.

So take some time to consider the promises you have made. Are you living faithfully in your covenant relationship with God? Are you keeping your word to your spouse, your family, your church, and the people around you?

In a world where promises are increasingly treated as disposable, let us be people whose word means something—because we belong to a God who always keeps His.

Cayce Fletcher is a wife and mom of three. In addition to homeschooling and other ministry projects, she writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, motherhood, and theology. 

Reflection Questions

  1. Why is keeping promises important? Why is it so hard to keep promises? 
  2. How are covenants similar to and different from promises? 
  3. What is so unique about the New Covenant that we have in Christ?

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for the New Covenant that we have in Christ—that we can enter into the most holy place and not be afraid. We praise you and honor you with our lives. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

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Words That Are Seasoned With Grace and Truth

Cayce Fletcher reflects on the power of words, emphasizing their impact on relationships and the importance of truth in speech. Drawing from scripture, she warns against deception and advocates for gracious communication rooted in honesty. The message encourages readers to align their interactions with the truth of God to foster genuine connections.

Jer 9-10

Ps 124

Luke 7

-Devotion by Cayce Fletcher

We have probably all experienced quick jabs that left a lasting mark. Growing up, many of my friends viewed this kind of trait as something worth having. You need to be quick on your feet and thick-skinned. The person who can make the remark that makes others laugh the most (at someone else’s expense) is the one who gets the most ‘brownie points.’ 

I’ve realized that this is a foolish way to live. I’ve been on the receiving end of those comments that have ultimately ended relationships because of how hurtful they were. 

Words have power. 

I keep coming back to this idea over and over. Through the Word of God, the world was created. The Word is what we call his message to His people. Through the reading of His Word, we believe that real, lasting change can happen in our hearts. Jesus is the embodied Word.

Our words cannot create the cosmos, but they still have power. 

Jeremiah speaks of the power of words in our passage today. In Jeremiah 9:3, it says, “They make ready their tongue like a bow, to shoot lies.” Later on, it says, “Friend deceives friend, and no one speaks the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they weary themselves with sinning” (Jer. 9:5). 

One of the central sins was a sin of deception. Because they had exchanged the ultimate Truth of God for a lie, every one of their interactions became characterized by lies. 

Jeremiah 9:6 says, “‘You live in the midst of deception; in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,’ declares the Lord.”

The way that we interact with others shows the importance that we place on our relationship with God. If our interactions are characterized by deception, lying, and deceit, what does that show us? 

Proverbs speaks of this. Proverbs 26:18–19 says, “Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death is one who deceives their neighbor and says, ‘I was only joking!’”

If our speech with others is not rooted in truth, we become like this maniac. We are spreading death around without care of who gets shot. 

What should our speech look like in contrast? 

Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.”

We should be gracious—but this does not mean that we just allow sin and deception to reign. Instead, our speech should also be seasoned with salt (reminiscent of Matthew 5). This salt is truth. 

May all our words point people back to the Word of Life: Jesus!

Cayce Fletcher is a wife and mom of three. In addition to homeschooling and other ministry projects, she writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, motherhood, and theology. 

Reflection Questions

  1. What does deception in speech look like? Where do you see people spreading deception?
  2. Have you ever experienced someone who spread deception? What was the outcome? 
  3. How can you be more intentional about speaking with grace and truth in your interactions? 

Prayer

Dear Lord, you are the source of all truth. May our lives reflect your truth. May we reject deceptions and seek to glorify you in all our interactions. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

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What kind of fruit are you producing? 

In Jeremiah, God calls for reform in ways and actions, emphasizing the importance of genuine faith over mere ritual. The teachings remind us to pursue justice, avoid idolatry, and maintain moral integrity. Jesus highlights that one’s heart influences life’s outcomes, urging us to nourish our spirits with good influences for fruitful living.

Jer 7-8

Ps 124

Luke 6

-Devotion by Cayce Fletcher

Reading through the books of the prophets can sometimes feel like you’re hearing the same things on repeat. But rather than become desensitized to what you read, remember this: If it’s repeated, it’s important. 

What themes have we seen hit on again and again through these opening chapters of Jeremiah? 

Jeremiah 7:3–4 says, “Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words and say, ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!’” This call from God summarizes what has been repeated across all the preceding chapters. 

We learn: 

  1. God desires relationship with us. He wants to live in communion with us, but that can only happen in keeping with his holy character. 
  2. We have to reform our ways and actions. We come just as we are, but we cannot stay that way. 
  3. The natural bent of people is to soften sin and ritualize it. We live with fake religion, acting like if we just go through the motions of religion, that will be enough to ‘make God happy.’ 

Of course, nothing that we can do is ultimately enough to balance the ledgers of sin and righteousness in God’s book. Jesus paid it all, and all to him I owe. 

After we have accepted Jesus and committed to following after him as Lord of our lives, what then must we do? 

Jeremiah describes the types of things expected from us: 

  • We must “deal with each other justly” (v. 5–7). This looks like not being a bully to the people weaker than us—whether that’s the foreigner, widow, or fatherless. We cannot pervert justice and shed innocent blood. 
  • We must not “follow other gods to your own harm” (v. 7). Pursuing idolatry may feel good and right in the moment, but it will only result in pain in the end. God created in his perfect wisdom. When we choose to go our own way, we are choosing to reject that wisdom—which often just results in pain. 
  • We must not “steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury” (v. 9). What may look like a random collection of sins is actually a reference to ‘the big 10.’ Jeremiah is reminding us that we have to take a high view of the gravity of sin and avoid it at all costs. 

From this passage we learn that we must treat each other rightly, be faithful to God, and pursue holiness (rejecting sin). 

How do we have a life defined by these principles? In Luke 6, we read Jesus’ words: “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (v. 43-45).

Out of what we have stored up in our heart comes the fruit of our lives. If we want to have good fruit and live in the way that God is calling us to, we have to be feeding ourselves good things. Then from the good stored up, we will produce a life of lovely fruit. 

What does it practically look like to feed ourselves good things?

  • Spend time in Scripture before the world gets the first word. We are constantly being discipled by something. Make a habit of reading God’s Word—not simply to check a box, but to allow it to shape what you believe is true, good, and worth pursuing.
  • Pay attention to what you consume. Think about the music you listen to, the shows you watch, the books you read, and especially what you scroll through. Ask yourself: What is this teaching me to love? What is it teaching me to laugh at, desire, envy, or accept? Not everything we consume has to be explicitly Christian, but we should notice what is shaping our hearts.
  • Surround yourself with people who point you toward God. We need relationships where we can talk about more than schedules, work, kids, and what happened this week. Spend time with people who will remind you of truth, encourage you toward faithfulness, and lovingly correct you when you need it.
  • Fill the ordinary moments with good things. Listen to Scripture while you drive. Put on worship music while you clean. Memorize a verse and think about it throughout the day. Talk about what you’re learning with your family. Small choices repeated over time determine what gets “stored up” in our hearts.

We cannot expect to continually fill our hearts with what is shallow, worldly, or sinful and somehow produce godly fruit. What we store up matters.

What are we storing up in our hearts? And what kind of fruit is it producing in our lives?

May we be a people who pursue what is good, holy, and righteous. For we are judged by our fruit. 

Cayce Fletcher is a wife and mom of three. In addition to homeschooling and other ministry projects, she writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, motherhood, and theology. 

Reflection Questions

  1. Look through the list of things we can learn from this passage in Jeremiah. Where do you see yourself excelling or falling short? 
  2. What kind of fruit is your life producing? Think about your attitude and actions. What are you leaving in your ‘wake’? 
  3. What is one practical way that you can add more ‘good things’ to your life this week? 

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for being a God who always calls us back no matter what our current circumstances are. You are a good and holy God. May our actions reflect your character. Please fill our lives with the good things that produce good fruit—and please let us produce fruit that is in keeping with those good things. Soli Deo gloria. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

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Guilt, Shame, and Conviction

Jer 5-6

Ps 123

Luke 6

-Devotion by Cayce Fletcher

When I was in elementary school, I sat by a girl in one of my science classes who I became close friends with over the course of the year. In the midst of kid-friendly science experiments (probably involving something edible), she mentioned something she told me in confidence. 

And something that I soon told someone else. 

Somehow, word got back to this girl that I had spread this secret around. She confronted me and told me how it made her feel. Ultimately, sharing this secret was something that she couldn’t forgive so easily, and our friendship wasn’t the same. (She moved at the end of the year.)

I still remember the way that I felt at the end of our conversation. When she first brought it up, it was like my stomach dropped. I was afraid, and I could feel my cheeks get hot. It was a Friday, and as I went home, I kept thinking about it—wishing I could take it back. And I knew that I shouldn’t have shared what I did. 

All of these emotions were unfamiliar to me. It was the feelings of guilt and shame. 

Shame was not something we were originally created with. With the introduction of sin, we also were introduced to shame. Adam and Eve hid from God when they knew they did wrong. We still want to hide. 

This elementary school conversation was one of the first times I navigated these feelings—but it has definitely not been the only time since. 

Guilt and shame are inevitable in a world marred by sin, but what I find interesting in this passage is the lack of shame exhibited by the people. Their faces are like stone (Jer. 5:3); they are unapologetic about sin (Jer. 5:7–8); and they take a low view of sin (Jer. 5:12).  

In the garden, Adam and Eve had a childlike impulse to literally hide what they were doing, but today, we have become so desensitized to sin that we don’t even try to hide what we are doing. In our pride, we hide our hearts from the gravity of sin. We say that it’s not a big deal.  We say that everyone’s doing it. We say that it’s good to go our own way. But truly, this is just the path to destruction. 

God was calling the people back to Him, but that call required a right understanding of sin. 

When we have a wrong view of sin, we minimize it and justify ourselves. We compare ourselves to others. We make excuses. We tell ourselves that what we are doing isn’t really that bad. Instead of allowing conviction to change us, pride hardens our hearts and allows us to continue down the same path.

But when we have a right view of sin, conviction leads us to repentance. We recognize sin for what it is: rebellion against a holy God that damages the relationship we were created to have with Him. Instead of defending ourselves or hiding from Him, we confess our sin and turn back to God.

The answer to sin isn’t to live buried beneath guilt and shame. It is to let those feelings alert us that something is wrong—and then respond to God’s call to return to Him.

Guilt and shame—also known as conviction—are a clue that we need confession and repentance. 

We don’t have to live in the land of guilt and shame forever. Christ has made a way for us to break free from those shackles and step forward into freedom. Praise God! 

Cayce Fletcher is a wife and mom of three. In addition to homeschooling and other ministry projects, she writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, motherhood, and theology. 

Reflection Questions

  1. How does sin impact our relationship with God? 
  2. Do you have a low view or a high view of sin? How serious are you about sin and its effects? 
  3. What is one area where you feel shame (aka conviction), and how might you practice confession and repentance in that area? 

Prayer

Dear Lord, we know you are a holy God. We also know that we fall short. When we face these feelings of shame, may we not grow prideful or distant from you. Instead, please let these feelings draw us closer to you through the practices of confession and repentance. In Jesus’ name, Amen

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Unfaithfulness of Israel—and the Faithfulness of God

In today’s passage, Jeremiah paints a picture of “faithless Israel.” The relationship between Israel and God (and later the Church and Christ) is always compared to a marriage.

Jer 3-4

Ps 123

Luke 5

-Devotion by Cayce Fletcher

In today’s passage, Jeremiah paints a picture of “faithless Israel.” The relationship between Israel and God (and later the Church and Christ) is always compared to a marriage. 

Marriage was one of the first societal systems God put in place. In the garden, he described marriage: “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). 

Later on, Paul references this passage when he says, “For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:29–32). 

The oneness that is experienced in the covenant of marriage is supposed to symbolize the unity that we experience under the covenant relationship with Christ. 

This is why the word faithfulness is central to our relationship with God. 

Faithfulness is the “quality of being loyal, trustworthy, and steadfast in performing duties, keeping promises, or adhering to facts.” When we are faithful in our marriages, we are completely honest and trustworthy. We are loyal to our spouse. To be unfaithful means to step outside that covenant relationship and pursue a relationship outside those bounds. 

In today’s passage, Jeremiah describes Israel (and Judah) as unfaithful. They continually pursued idols rather than pursuing a relationship with their first love, God. Jeremiah, speaking the words of God, puts it strongly: “Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute; you refuse to blush with shame” (Jer. 1:3). 

But in spite of God calling to the people of Judah, she “did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense” (Jer. 1:10). 

 What does unfaithfulness look like in our relationship with God? 

  • We give something else the devotion that belongs to God. Our idols may not be carved images, but anything we consistently look to for our security, identity, satisfaction, or hope can begin to occupy a place that belongs to God alone. Money, success, comfort, approval—even good things like family or ministry—can become objects of misplaced devotion.
  • We obey God selectively. Faithfulness isn’t simply believing the right things or showing up at church. If we gladly follow God where it is convenient but ignore Him where obedience costs us something, we aren’t giving Him our whole heart.
  • We go through the motions without giving God our hearts. Judah returned to God “only in pretense.” We can pray, read Scripture, attend church, and say all the right things while our hearts are somewhere else. Faithfulness isn’t merely maintaining Christian habits; it is continually turning our hearts toward God.

If you feel convicted by this, we can remember these words of Paul: “Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself” (2 Tim. 2:11–13). 

God will remain faithful, despite our unfaithfulness. We see this in today’s passage. Just a few verses later, God gives a glimpse of the future hope of redemption, when the people will be gathered together and follow God faithfully. 

No matter where you are at now, today is always a new chance to follow God faithfully, completely, wholeheartedly. God is always faithful and will listen to the one who trusts in Him. 

Cayce Fletcher is a wife and mom of three. In addition to homeschooling and other ministry projects, she writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, motherhood, and theology. 

Reflection Questions

  1. Why do you think marriage is so often referred to as a metaphor for God and His people?  
  2. What does unfaithfulness to God look like? 
  3. Where might you be unfaithful to God? What choices could you make to pursue Him wholeheartedly? 

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for your faithfulness. You are a good God—a God who is rich in mercy and love. May we be a faithful people, wholeheartedly committed to you. Reveal to us places where we are unfaithful and draw us more fully into relationship with you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Following God When You Are Young… And When You Are Old

Explore the impact of youth on faith and calling through Jeremiah’s journey and personal reflections on devotion and God’s purpose.

Jer 1-2

Ps 122

Luke 5

-Devotion by Cayce Fletcher

Growing up in the COGGC, one rite of passage, and the highlight of everyone’s year, was the annual national youth camp, FUEL. We all loved to load up in the big charter bus at 2 am and drive the 14+ hours to a campus nestled between cornfields in northern Indiana. 

We would worship, learn, and play—and at the end of the week, everyone would be faced with a choice: How was this week going to impact the rest of their life? What would they do when they returned home? 

For some, this was the moment when they made the decision to be baptized. Others recommitted themselves to a life lived for Christ. Still others made the big leap to attend Bible college, some even dedicating their lives to a life of ministry. 

It’s been over a decade since those high school days, and a lot of life has happened. You never realize how much can change from the bright-eyed days of your youth until you live through it. Friends have grown up, married, had kids, and gotten divorced. Friends have gone to college, moved, started businesses and careers, and changed those again and again. And friends have grown closer to God and away from Him. 

Jeremiah is one of the longest books of the Bible and is nestled between the books of the prophets. It’s easy to read these books and gloss over them, thinking, ‘I’ll just understand this when I’m older.’ (Hey, I still think that sometimes!) 

But Jeremiah actually begins with him feeling the inadequacy of youth. He was probably 15–25 years old, the son of a priest (aka a Levite) from one of the towns in the land of Benjamin. 

God called him: “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,  before you were born I set you apart;  I appointed you as a prophet to the nations’” (Jer. 1:4–5). 

God had a plan for Jeremiah. He wanted to use him in great ways. 

But Jeremiah responded in v. 6, “‘Alas, Sovereign Lord, I do not know how to speak; I am too young.’”

It’s interesting to me that one of the first messages that Jeremiah was told to give to Jerusalem was about how Israel was so devoted in “the days of her youth” (Jer. 2:2). It reminds me of those days at camp when my friends and I all sat around and dreamed of the big things we would do for God. 

But as I’ve seen, Israel also went on a wayward path. Just like in marriage, the wedding is not the hardest part. It’s the daily choosing to be devoted to one another despite the trials of life. 

This passage in Jeremiah tells us two important principles: 

  1. God can use anyone, no matter what their age, to do his work. If he calls you, he’ll equip you. 
  2. There is a reason God says that we must become like a little child to enter into the Kingdom of God. Yes, folly is bound up in the heart of the youth—but so is unreserved passion and devotion. It’s easy to let the worries, pleasures, and cares of this life suck out our fruitfulness. We have to choose daily to seek the Kingdom of God. 

Maybe you came to faith later in life. Maybe you got baptized when you were still in the single digits. Your testimony can be full of twists and turns… or it can be rather boring. 

Regardless, you need to choose to follow God daily, when you are young and when you are old. 

Like Jeremiah, you were also knit together in your mother’s womb by God (Ps. 134). He knew you. He called you. And he loves you. 

Will you live for Him? 

Cayce Fletcher is a wife and mom of three. In addition to homeschooling and other ministry projects, she writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, motherhood, and theology. 

Reflection Questions

  1. How would you describe your testimony? When did you feel “called” by God? 
  2. Do you believe that you can do “big things” for God now? How is God equipping you for ministry? 
  3. Where might our love for God have “grown cold”? 

Prayer

Dear Lord, may we always keep you at the forefront of our minds. May our eyes not turn to the right or the left, desiring something that is not you. Please equip us for the good work that you want to do with our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen 

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What path are you walking on?

Explore the call to holiness in Isaiah 65-66 and discover the hope of redemption through God’s sovereign love and grace.

Isa 65-66

Ps 122

Luke 4

-Devotion by Cayce Fletcher

We live in a world that takes a soft view of sin. Our highest virtue is acceptance. We believe that a person is noble if they are flexible on their boundaries. The person who is the most “loving” is the one who is willing to conform their beliefs to what is trending in culture. 

Isaiah 65 speaks to the same tendencies. The people are “obstinate” and pursue “their own imaginations” (v. 2). They say they are holy (v. 5), but they are actually doing the most base and unclean acts (“burning incense in altars of bricks,” “sit among graves”, eating the “flesh of pigs” (v. 3–4)). Quite simply, they call good evil and evil good (Is. 5:20). 

Though the sins of the people are different from those we see today, the heart behind it is the same. Pastor Adrian Rogers said, “We may not have metal idols, but we may have mental idols.” And when we choose to pursue these idols, we exchange the good things of good for the “dirty” things of sin. 

Romans 1 describes this downward slope into sin that comes from a heart of rebellion. It is the great exchange. We exchange the almighty Creator for these simple and unfulfilling created things. That ultimately results in a life that is debased and defiled. 

The beauty of the gospel is that we are rescued from this even if—on our own—we would never choose it. Is. 65:1 says, “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name,  I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’”

God calls us to him. He beckons us. 

We may be caught in the downward spiral of sin, but even there, God meets us and invites us back into relationship with him. 

The ending of our reading in Isaiah today points to our great and glorious hope. We see God’s sovereignty over all of time and space (“The heavens are his throne and the earth his footstool” (Is. 66:1)). And we see that the sovereign plan of God is ultimately to bring redemption to the world. 

God sets before us a choice—echoing that of Deuteronomy 30—in Is. 66:17: “‘Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs, rats and other unclean things—they will meet their end together with the one they follow,’ declares the Lord.”

Under the New Covenant, we don’t have to worry about what we put into our bodies (other than making sure that we choose things that are healthy). But we do have to worry about what is coming out: our speech, actions, and attitude. 

Will we choose to follow the right, holy, and righteous path of God? Or will we pursue idolatry? Will we choose the unclean act of sin? 

May we choose the path of life!

If we do, we will dwell in the new heavens and the new earth. We will see the beauty, delight, and joy of the promises of Isaiah 65:17-25. There will be no more death, no more grief, no more mourning, no more scarcity. 

God will dwell with us. We will be His people. And He will be our God. 

What a wonderful hope! 

Cayce Fletcher is a wife and mom of three. In addition to homeschooling and other ministry projects, she writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com about faith, motherhood, and theology. 

Reflection Questions

  1. What are some of the idols that people pursue today? 
  2. What is the relationship between sin and uncleanliness or impurity?
  3. How does your future hope help you to live for God now? 

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you so much for the gift of your Son. Thank you for the ability we have to take off the clothes of sin and unrighteousness and be dressed in the perfect, white clothes of righteousness. We look forward to your Kingdom. Help us to glorify you in all that we do. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

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