They do not say to themselves, 'Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.' Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good. – Jeremiah 5:24-25

Today's Scripture Reading (June 26, 2026): Jeremiah 5

A quick look at global temperature charts shows a distinct warming trend. The eleven warmest global average temperatures in the past four thousand years, so basically from a thousand years before the reigns of David and Solomon in Israel, have occurred in the last eleven years. There has been a noticeable increase in temperatures over the past decade. True, there have been temperature spikes in the past. There was a spike that lasted from the tenth to the fourteenth centuries, and another that began around the birth of Jesus and continued until about the sixth century. Still, neither reached temperatures as high as those we are currently experiencing. So, while it is true that the planet does go through cycles of heat and cold, the current warm cycle seems different.

The flipside of this discussion is that we are not talking about big numbers. The coldest global average temperature in the past eleven years was 0.85 degrees Celsius in 2018 and again in 2021. The warmest was 1.28 degrees Celsius in 2024, about half a degree Celsius above the coldest. But we need to remember that all of these temperatures are records and are a couple of degrees above normal.

It still doesn't sound like much, but maybe we need to remember that this is the truth of our whole experience. Is there intelligent life out there somewhere? Maybe. But this planet is built on many "just right" conditions. God has established this planet precisely where it needed to be for us to survive. And it wouldn't have to be moved far for the planet not to be suitable for life. There may have been life on Mars and maybe on Venus millennia ago. But not intelligent life. Earth is in the middle of the Goldilocks zone, where it is just right for what we need. And it won't take much to shift us out of that zone.

I am not saying that Jeremiah is speaking about the current climate crisis, but his words still apply. We are already discovering that it doesn't take much to disrupt the weather systems we depend on and that even a little climate change can hurt us. I often hear people argue that the planet has been here before. And we have; the difference is that at that time, the human race wasn't here. Part of what God did in creating us was cooling the earth. We can argue about how close we are to the tipping point at which the global warming trend cannot be stopped, but at some point, we will cross that line. And the rains we depend on will disappear or intensify. And the harvest we need will disappear. And the only one we will have to blame is the person in the mirror, because we failed to care for the creation that God entrusted to us.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 6

And if in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, 'As surely as the LORD lives,' then the nations will invoke blessings by him and in him they will boast." – Jeremiah 4:2

Today's Scripture Reading (June 25, 2026): Jeremiah 4

Sorry, not sorry. Some phrases surprise me, and this is one of them. What I find surprising about the phrase is that it is relatively new, even though I think it has been a common experience throughout human history. How many times have you had to do something for which someone later demands an apology, but you don't feel the need to apologize? I am a Canadian, and we apologize for everything. In fact, I recently discovered that one of the many differences between Canadians and Americans is that, in the United States, "I'm sorry" is an admission of guilt. However, in Canada, "I'm sorry" is just considered polite. We apologize all the time, and yet, there are times when even I don't want to say the words, and my friends tell me I apologize more often than anyone else on the planet. (Sorry?) It is where the phrase comes in. Sorry, not sorry.

There are many ways to take the phrase. I am sorry that you misunderstood me. I am sorry that you took my words as a personal attack. I am sorry that you are so sensitive. I am not sorry for what I said or what I did. Sorry, not sorry.

Many years ago, I had a friend who was going through a relationship struggle with another lifelong friend, me. There was a situation for which my friend wanted an apology. Okay, I insulted Donald Trump, and my friend thought that I owed him an apology. My problem was multifaceted. I couldn't figure out why my comment about President Trump mattered so strongly to my friend. I honestly struggle with many of the things the American President does. I am a conservative who feels that conservative politics has turned "weird," for lack of a better word. Conservatives all over the world seem to no longer hold what I consider to be conservative values, like balanced budgets and small government. So, I could honestly tell my friend I was sorry, but the problem was that I wasn't sorry for the things my friend thought I should be sorry for. It was a classic "Sorry, not sorry" moment in our friendship. And it just about ended the relationship.

The next comment is often that we want a genuine apology. But genuine apologies are hard if you don't understand why an apology is being demanded. I am sure that you have been there. For an apology to help, it has to be heartfelt, which usually excludes our "Sorry, not sorry" reactions.

God isn't looking for an apology, but he does want a heartfelt oath stating "As surely as the Lord lives." And maybe that was part of the problem. Israel could state, as part of a ritual of worship, "As surely as the Lord lives." But did they mean it? (Did you mean the words that you sang in church last Sunday?) But God stresses to Jeremiah that he wants to bless the people, but they have to be sincere in their worship. It can't be just a bunch of words that we say or sing. It can't be an oath that we can recite from memory. God demands so much more than that. What God wants are words and worship that originate in the core of our being and flow out with overwhelming honesty. That is the worship our God demands from his people.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 5

I thought that after she had done all this she would return to me but she did not, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it. – Jeremiah 3:7

Today's Scripture Reading (June 24, 2026): Jeremiah 3

Sir John Whitmore (1937-2017), English Racing Driver and pioneering executive coach, argued that "The carrot and the stick are pervasive and persuasive motivators. But if you treat people like donkeys, they will perform like donkeys (John Whitmore). I like the quote, even if I think it misses the point. There is truth in the idea that if we treat people like animals, they will act like animals. If we treat them like children, they will act like children. There is a married couple in my circle of influence whom I have known since early in my teenage years. They were adults and church leaders during my adolescence, and I was a stereotypical teenage rebel with long hair and a bad attitude. For the first few years of our relationship, that is who I was. But I grew up, got married to a wonderful girl, and became an adult (Yeah, I know, some out there wonder about the adult part). Amazingly, my wife knew this couple as well. I still run into these people once in a while. But every time I do, I feel like that rebellious teenager again. It is like five decades later, they still see me as that sixteen-year-old they once knew. As a result, the temptation to become that kid again is almost overwhelming.

Carrot and stick sum up two modes of motivation. The carrot represents any positive reinforcement that supports desired behavior. The stick is the pain or negative reinforcement we attach to behaviors we should avoid. For a donkey, the carrot and the stick are quite literal. We often envision the donkey chasing after the carrot while being hit from behind with a stick. However, all of us humans are also motivated by both positives and negatives, albeit different ones.

Judah had a front row seat for both the rebellion of Israel and the aftermath that Israel suffered as a direct result of that rebellion. As a motivator, the destruction of Samaria was the stick. The message was that if Judah persisted in its rebellion, this was what could happen to them.

However, Josiah was on the throne of Judah, and Josiah was a good king. "[Josiah] did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left" (2 Kings 22:2). Josiah did what was right, and in doing so, he set a good example for Judah. This example was the carrot. The message was, "You too can be successful if you follow the ways of King Josiah." It is a carrot that we still use. We send messages, especially to our teens, about the benefits of getting outside and spending time with friends or playing sports by having professionals from various local sports clubs share the message, thinking that more importance would be attached to the desired behavior if it is what Connor McDavid (National Hockey League) or George Springer (Major League Baseball) believes is right.

God admits that he thought that Judah would return to him if they saw these two things in action, but instead, they decided to act like donkeys.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 4

Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest; all who devoured her were held guilty, and disaster overtook them,'" declares the LORD. – Jeremiah 2:3

Today's Scripture Reading (June 23, 2026): Jeremiah 2

Growing up, I loved playing pick-up sports on any field that presented itself; however, I always hated the process of picking teams. It can be embarrassing. The best players, of course, were always picked first. And the worst players got picked last. When it came down to the end of the process, it was the smallest, slowest, and the kids with the least talent that were left. Often, when we came down to the last kids on the list, someone would say, "You take them." I mean, how bad does that make you feel? Your talents are so unwanted that in the process of picking teams, you are given away to the opposing team.

Sometimes, those giveaways came back to haunt the giver. I remember one such game. We were preparing to play a pick-up game of football [American], something that I liked to do as often as possible during the summer. We picked the teams, and the last kid was this scrawny girl. It was my pick, and I refused to give her away. She apparently wanted to play football, but she didn't do anything. The other kids would run routes and try to get open so that I could throw them the ball, but she just stood there watching, never leaving the line of scrimmage. We had played for a while, and the person assigned to guard her ended up helping cover other people, because this girl wasn't doing anything.

I decided that I needed to get her the ball. I called her over and nonchalantly told her I wanted her to stand beside me. When I said "ball", I wanted her to take two steps forward and turn around. I would throw her the ball, and all I wanted her to do was catch the soft toss and run toward the opposing endzone until someone touched her. I remember stressing, "Don't throw the ball" (inexperienced players often get so excited when they are about to be "Tackled" or "Touched" in touch football that they throw the ball away).

The play started. My new friend took two steps in front of me and turned around. I softly tossed the ball underhand to her, and she caught it. Then she ran. And could she run. No one could catch her. She ran, dodged, and left the players who were picked first in her dust. She left me wondering why she had just stood there throughout the first portion of the game.

Jeremiah says that God picked Israel first. Israel wasn't his only choice, and despite being chosen first, they weren't even the best. But God had set the expectations for his nation. "I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy" (Leviticus 11:45).

For a while, they had done just that. They had avoided the trap of worshiping Egyptian gods. But they just couldn't seem to keep it up. Like young football players, they often became excited or worried and chose other gods and idols for worship. They threw the ball away. They could follow the God of the Patriarchs for a while, but not for the long run, even though God had promised to honor and defend her.

They were God's first choice, but often struggled to live up to that honor.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 3

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. – Jeremiah 1:5

Today's Scripture Reading (June 22, 2026): Jeremiah 1

I remember my grandfather, DeVerne Mullen, singing a song called "He Chose Me." I know Jimmy Swaggart made the song popular, but for me, the voice I remember is my grandfather's. The song was a bit of a theme song for Grandpa; it summed up how he felt about his faith. The song was written by Mosie Lister (1921-2015), who, I have to admit, is one of my favorite composers from this era. Other great songs written by Lister include "' Til the Storm Passes By" and "How Long has it Been." But "He Chose Me" has a special connection for me because of its relationship to my grandfather.

There were so many others

That He might have chosen to follow Him

Others with learning and greater distinction to follow Him

Men with authority and forceful ability

Who knows how to speak and be heard

I don′t know exactly why I'm here at all

But today, I follow my Lord (Mosie Lister).

The song's central concept, which still amazes me, is that God chooses us. I have to admit that I don't read this as "I am chosen, and you are not." He chose all of us. Our paths might be different, and the impact we make may be in different areas, but we have all been chosen. The question is not whether we are chosen, but whether we will choose to respond by following Him.

The passage we have here is translated as "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you," but I think a better translation might be "Before I formed you in the womb I chose you." God knew, before you began this life, that he was going to choose you for this journey, that he would gift you in a way that would help you fulfill the task that he was placing in front of you. You would be given everything you need to accomplish the task, should you choose to accept the mission I have chosen for you. Too often, our failure comes because we are unwilling to follow where God is leading us, and that is on us, not Him.

Grandpa was amazed that God had chosen him, and I am amazed that he chose me. But he also chose you. So, where is He leading you?

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 2

Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled! – Zephaniah 3:1

Today's Scripture Reading (June 21, 2026): Zephaniah 3

His name was Norman Sheffield (1939-2014), not that I would expect many to remember him. Norman Sheffield had a song written about him in 1975, and even though his name was not mentioned in the song, he sued the band and the label that released it. The band was "Queen," and the labels were "EMI" and "Elektra." If you do recognize Sheffield's name, it is probably more because of the lawsuit than because of the song. The lawsuit actually brought more scrutiny to the song than it would have likely received had Sheffield remained quiet. Queen eventually settled the lawsuit out of court and, in the process, admitted that, yes, the song "Death on Two Legs," the opening track on the band's album "A Night at the Opera," was in fact written about Norman Sheffield.

Queen, especially Freddie Mercury, believed that Sheffield had deliberately mismanaged the band, a situation that came to a head when Sheffield refused to advance Queen bassist John Deacon £40,000 as a down payment on a house. Freddie Mercury was incensed by the refusal and immediately began writing what amounts to a "Diss Track" about Sheffield. Not naming the now former manager, the singer had a few choice words about the manager's work on behalf of Queen over the preceding three years.

You suck my blood like a leech

You break the law and you breach

Screw my brain 'til it hurts

You've taken all my money, and you want more

 

Misguided old mule

With your pigheaded rules

With your narrow-minded cronies

Who are fools of the first division

 

Death on two legs

You're tearing me apart

Death on two legs

You never had a heart

Of your own.

The song only gets worse from there. Freddie admits he wanted the lyrics to be as "coarse as possible." The rest of the band was actually shocked by the lyrics. EMI wasn't sure the song should be included on "A Night at the Opera," let alone be the opening track. It was an opinion shared by Queen guitarist Brian May. But in the end, Mercury got his way. "Death on Two Legs" was not released as a single, but it became a fan favorite anyway, marking the moment when many of us graduated from buying singles to purchasing albums.

Zephaniah doesn't identify the city of oppressors, but we don't have to guess. We might hope, from the way Zephaniah 2 ends, that the prophet's ire would be directed at Nineveh, but later references to the prophets and priests, as well as the mention of the sanctuary and the law, reveal the truth. Zephaniah's "Diss Track" in this section of his writing is Jerusalem, and her own disbelief defiled the rebellious city.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 1

Gaza will be abandoned and Ashkelon left in ruins. At midday Ashdod will be emptied and Ekron uprooted. – Zephaniah 2:4

Today's Scripture Reading (June 20, 2026): Zephaniah 2

It is often hard to read what the Bible says about Gaza without thinking about the current situation of this tiny strip of land on the east side of the Mediterranean Sea. From our place in time, we look at the Gaza Strip and see an area in ruins, although it has definitely not been abandoned. But if we go back to the original Hebrew, we discover something important. Few translators have tried to keep the poetic structure of this passage. There is a bit of a rhyme that Zephaniah is working toward, which is not reflected in "Gaza will be abandoned and Ashkelon left in ruins." John Robert Dummelow (1860-1909) attempted to reflect this poetry into English with "Gaza shall be a ghastly ruin; and Ashkelon a deserted ash-heap" (John Robert Dummelow). The poetic connection is between "Gaza and ghastly" and "Ashkelon and ash-heap." (It is the kind of poetry that President Trump likes to use against his enemies, changing a name into an insult.) As a result, the concepts of desolation and damage are at the forefront of Zephaniah's mind.

Experts continue to debate the era to which this prophecy is addressed. Traditionally, it has been thought that Zephaniah was speaking of a Scythian invasion in the 3^rd or 4^th Century B.C.E. We know that, late in the Scythian Empire, they attempted to pass through Palestine on their way to Egypt. But reports from that time suggest that the Egyptians sent their army north into Palestine and convinced the Scythians to turn around and head home.

The second portion of the verse argues that the defeat of the Philistine cities on this tiny strip of land came quickly. The Mesha Stele, dating from the 9^th Century B.C.E., details King Mesha of Moab's victories over Israel and employs similar language to suggest a swift victory. "I fought against it from the break of day till noon, and I took it" (Mesha Stele). All of this leaves us with either a fight of the Philistine cities against Assyria, or maybe Babylon. Both empires swept through the area before laying siege to Jerusalem.

However, especially given the events in that area of the world today, the importance may not lie in when these cities fell in fulfillment of Zephaniah's words, but in what happens next. Zephaniah foretells of the fall of Gaza and her Philistine sisters, but also reminds his readers of a remnant who would rise to care for the area. "The land by the sea will become pastures having wells for shepherds and pens for flocks" (Zephaniah 2:6). It is long past time for there to be peace in the Middle East, and for the Gaza Strip to become the oasis it once was. Maybe who is less important than what. Maybe we can dream of a time when Palestinians and Israeli's combine to care for the land that God has given to them, in memory of the ghosts who still roam the land of Gaza and the cities of the Philistia.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Zephaniah 3