Day 280 of 365

Jer 4:1–31

1 "If you will return, Israel," says the Lord, "if you will return to me, and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight; then you shall not be removed;

2 and you shall swear, 'As the Lord lives,' in truth, in justice, and in righteousness. The nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory."

3 For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, "Break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns.

4 Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn so that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

5 Declare in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, 'Blow the trumpet in the land!' Cry aloud and say, 'Assemble yourselves! Let us go into the fortified cities!'

6 Set up a standard toward Zion. Flee for safety! Do not wait; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction."

7 A lion is gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations; he is on his way, he is gone forth from his place, to make your land desolate, that your cities be laid waste, without inhabitant.

8 For this clothe yourself with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of the Lord hasn't turned back from us.

9 "It shall happen at that day," says the Lord, "that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder."

10 Then I said, "Ah, Lord God! Surely you have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, 'You shall have peace;' whereas the sword reaches to the heart."

11 At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, "A hot wind from the bare heights in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow, nor to cleanse;

12 a full wind from these shall come for me. Now I will also utter judgments against them."

13 Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as the whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! For we are ruined.

14 Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you?

15 For a voice declares from Dan, and publishes evil from the hills of Ephraim:

16 "Tell the nations; behold, publish against Jerusalem, 'Watchers come from a far country, and raise their voice against the cities of Judah.

17 As keepers of a field, they are against her all around, because she has been rebellious against me,'" says the Lord.

18 "Your way and your doings have brought these things to you. This is your wickedness; for it is bitter, for it reaches to your heart."

19 My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart; my heart is disquieted in me; I can't hold my peace; because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.

20 Destruction on destruction is proclaimed; for the whole land is laid waste: suddenly are my tents destroyed, and my curtains in a moment.

21 How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?

22 "For my people are foolish, they do not know me. They are foolish children, and they have no understanding. They are skillful in doing evil, but to do good they have no knowledge."

23 I saw the earth, and, behold, it was waste and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.

24 I saw the mountains, and behold, they trembled, and all the hills moved back and forth.

25 I saw, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the sky had fled.

26 I saw, and behold, the fruitful field was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down at the presence of the Lord, before his fierce anger.

27 For thus says the Lord, "The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.

28 For this the earth will mourn, and the heavens above be black; because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and I have not relented, neither will I turn back from it."

29 Every city flees for the noise of the horsemen and archers; they go into the thickets, and climb up on the rocks: every city is forsaken, and not a man dwells therein.

30 You, when you are made desolate, what will you do? Though you clothe yourself with scarlet, though you dress yourselves with ornaments of gold, though you enlarge your eyes with paint, in vain do you make yourself beautiful; your lovers despise you, they seek your life.

31 For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, the anguish as of her who brings forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, who gasps for breath, who spreads her hands, saying, "Woe is me now! For my soul faints before the murderers."

2 Cor 5:1–21

1 For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.

2 For truly in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven;

3 if so be that being clothed we will not be found naked.

4 For indeed we who are in this tent do groan, being burdened; not that we desire to be unclothed, but that we desire to be clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

5 Now he who made us for this very thing is God, who also gave to us the down payment of the Spirit.

6 Therefore, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord;

7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.

8 We are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.

9 Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him.

10 For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

11 Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are revealed to God; and I hope that we are revealed also in your consciences.

12 For we are not commending ourselves to you again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf, that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance, and not in heart.

13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God. Or if we are of sober mind, it is for you.

14 For the love of Christ constrains us; because we judge thus, that one died for all, therefore all died.

15 He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.

16 Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, new things have come.

18 But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.

20 We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

21 For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Ps 119:1–40

1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the Lord's Law.

2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes, who seek him with their whole heart.

3 Yes, they do nothing wrong. They walk in his ways.

4 You have commanded your precepts, that we should fully obey them.

5 Oh that my ways were steadfast to obey your statutes!

6 Then I wouldn't be disappointed, when I consider all of your commandments.

7 I will give thanks to you with uprightness of heart, when I learn your righteous judgments.

8 I will observe your statutes. Do not utterly forsake me.

9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.

10 With my whole heart, I have sought you. Do not let me wander from your commandments.

11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

12 Blessed are you, Lord. Teach me your statutes.

13 With my lips, I have declared all the ordinances of your mouth.

14 I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies, as much as in all riches.

15 I will meditate on your precepts, and consider your ways.

16 I will delight myself in your statutes. I will not forget your word.

17 Do good to your servant. I will live and I will obey your word.

18 Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things out of your Law.

19 I am a stranger on the earth. Do not hide your commandments from me.

20 My soul is consumed with longing for your ordinances at all times.

21 You have rebuked the proud who are cursed, who wander from your commandments.

22 Take reproach and contempt away from me, for I have kept your statutes.

23 Though princes sit and slander me, your servant will meditate on your statutes.

24 Indeed your statutes are my delight, and my counselors.

25 My soul is laid low in the dust. Revive me according to your word!

26 I declared my ways, and you answered me. Teach me your statutes.

27 Let me understand the teaching of your precepts! Then I will meditate on your wondrous works.

28 My soul is weary with sorrow: strengthen me according to your word.

29 Keep me from the way of deceit. Grant me your Law graciously!

30 I have chosen the way of truth. I have set your ordinances before me.

31 I cling to your statutes, Lord. Do not let me be disappointed.

32 I run in the path of your commandments, for you have set my heart free.

33 Teach me, Lord, the way of your statutes. I will keep them to the end.

34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your Law. Yes, I will obey it with my whole heart.

35 Direct me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in them.

36 Turn my heart toward your statutes, not toward selfish gain.

37 Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things. Revive me in your ways.

38 Fulfill your promise to your servant, that you may be feared.

39 Take away my disgrace that I dread, for your ordinances are good.

40 Behold, I long for your precepts! Revive me in your righteousness.