Scripture Union Daily Guide – 17 January 2026: Today’s Devotional Reading and Reflection – Saturday
Are you looking for the Scripture Union Daily Guide – 17 January 2026? Discover today’s devotional reading, Bible passage, and reflection to strengthen your spiritual journey. This Daily Guide provides clear, scripture-based insight and life applications to help you grow in faith, understand God’s Word, and live a Christ-centered life. Whether for personal devotion or group study, today’s message is a timely word for your walk with God.
TOPIC: The Potter And The Clay
OPENING PRAYER
Let me know more of you today dear Lord as I meditate on your word.
SCRIPTURE READING
Jeremiah 18:1-23(NKJV)
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: 2 “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.” 3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the [a]wheel. 4 And the vessel that he [b]made of clay was [c]marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.
5 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel! 7 The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, 8 if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. 9 And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, 10 if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.
11 “Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.” ’ ”
12 And they said, “That is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one [d]obey the dictates[e] of his evil heart.”
13 Therefore thus says the Lord:
“Ask now among the Gentiles,
Who has heard such things?
The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.
14 Will a man [f]leave the snow water of Lebanon,
Which comes from the rock of the field?
Will the cold flowing waters be forsaken for strange waters?
15 “Because My people have forgotten Me,
They have burned incense to worthless idols.
And they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways,
From the ancient paths,
To walk in pathways and not on a highway,
16 To make their land desolate and a perpetual hissing;
Everyone who passes by it will be astonished
And shake his head.
17 I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy;
I will [g]show them the back and not the face
In the day of their calamity.”
18 Then they said, “Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come and let us attack him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.”
19 Give heed to me, O Lord,
And listen to the voice of those who contend with me!
20 Shall evil be repaid for good?
For they have dug a pit for my life.
Remember that I stood before You
To speak good [h]for them,
To turn away Your wrath from them.
21 Therefore deliver up their children to the famine,
And pour out their blood
By the force of the sword;
Let their wives become widows
And bereaved of their children.
Let their men be put to death,
Their young men be slain
By the sword in battle.
22 Let a cry be heard from their houses,
When You bring a troop suddenly upon them;
For they have dug a pit to take me,
And hidden snares for my feet.
23 Yet, Lord, You know all their counsel
Which is against me, to slay me.
Provide no atonement for their iniquity,
Nor blot out their sin from Your sight;
But let them be overthrown before You.
Deal thus with them
In the time of Your anger.
QUESTIONS FOR MEDITATION
►Q1: What does the passage teach about God the Father, or God the Son or God the Holy Spirit?
►Q7: What truth is God revealing to me in this passage?
Scripture Union Daily Guide – 17 January 2026 | OUTLINE
God can use ordinary scenes of life to drive home an important message. Thus, He instructed Jeremiah to go to the Potter’s house to connect his observation to the message (Jeremiah 18:1-4). Just as the potter had the right to mould or remould the clay to any vessel of his choice, God has the right to shape the nation of Israel and by extension the rest of humanity however He desires (Jeremiah 18:5).
However, in exercising this right, God considers the response of man to His will (Jeremiah 18:6-10; Ezekiel 33:13-16). In other words, God relents or proceeds with His plan for your life depending on how you respond to Him. In this instance, what did God require (Jeremiah 18:11b). What was Israel’s response and its consequences (Jeremiah 12:4 & Jeremiah 18:15-17). The people did not only reject God’s message, but also His prophet against whom they hatched a conspiracy (Jeremiah 18:18). Even in our time, some people still attack servants of God whose message make them uncomfortable. Are you one of them? God is watching you.
Examine Jeremiah’s prayer in Jeremiah 18:19-23 and compare it with Jesus’s teaching on the same issue (Matthew 5:11-12,42-44; cf. Romans 12:14,17-21). The Lord expects us to live at higher level
PRAYER OF FAITH
Matthew 18:4
INSIGHT
* Any new insight or reinforcement of what you already know?
CLOSING PRAYER
Pray in line with this song: “Have thine own way Lord. Have thine own way. Thou art the potter, I am the clay. Break me and mould me after thy will. While I am waiting yielded and still”
PRAYER OF THE WEEK
Pray for the salvation of loved ones around you: families, friends, colleagues, etc. that they will respond to the love of God. Pray that God’s mercy will forbid that anyone of these dies in sin.
ONE YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Genesis 16-18
Prayer Bulletin – Sat 17 January, 2026
PRAYER FOCUS
A REST FOR GOD’S PEOPLE
There remains therefore, a rest for the people of God. Heb.4:9
THANK GOD FOR:
His wonderful and precious promises for us His children.
PRAY FOR:
God will grant us in S.U, a deeper understanding of Himself and His word.
We will cease from all our labours of unbelief, struggles, worries etc.
We will enter the rest He has reserved for us, by faith.
Scripture Union is an international, interdenominational, evangelical Christian organization. It was founded in 1867, and works in partnership with individuals and churches across the world. The organization’s stated aim is to use the Bible to inspire children, young people and adults to know God.