Why would a prison inmate escape from prison the day before his scheduled release? That's what a Rhode Island prison spokesman wondered as he answered questions from reporters. He said, "For the life of me, I don't know what possessed him to leave with only one day of his sentence left to serve." Once captured, the escapee would be arraigned on charges that could land him back in prison for up to 20 years.

Most of us probably would wonder about the shortsightedness of this inmate. But we might not be as conscious of our own nearsighted approach to sin. We might not see the absolute mindlessness of pursuing a few moments of selfish pleasure in exchange for lasting regret.

Jeremiah pointed out the folly of such actions. In the 5th chapter of his prophecy, he reminded us of how much we should respect God's power (v.22), and that short-term pleasures will bring long-term losses (vv.28-29). Sin thrives on self-deception and doesn't look ahead to the result (v.31).

Father, forgive us for being so stubborn and blind. Thank You for making a provision for our forgiveness. We realize that without Jesus we would have no hope. Help us to do what makes sense—for today, and for tomorrow.    — Mart De Haan