“Who does the Lord think we are?” they ask.“Why does he speak to us like this?Are we little children,just recently weaned?10He tells us everything over and over—one line at a time,one line at a time,

So now God will have to speak to his peoplethrough foreign oppressors who speak a strange language!12God has told his people,“Here is a place of rest;let the weary rest here.This is a place of quiet rest.”But they would not listen.13So the Lord will spell out his message for them again,one line at a time,one line at a time,

The coming destruction can never touch us,for we have built a strong refuge made of lies and deception.”

And so the Lord says,“These people say they are mine.They honor me with their lips,but their hearts are far from me.And their worship of meis nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.29:13 Greek version reads Their worship is a farce, / for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God. Compare Mark 7:7.14Because of this, I will once again astound these hypocriteswith amazing wonders.The wisdom of the wise will pass away,and the intelligence of the intelligent will disappear.”

Lord God my Father,

Keep me from my arrogant way and live under your authority. Keep my thoughts and actions focused on you and protect me from my desire to control and allow you to have your way.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen