That which connects things together is called a relationship. From the day we are born, before we have had a chance to do anything ourselves, we are connected and in relationships. Connected to humankind, to a family, gender, race, nation, color, creed, culture, planet, world besides many others. Last, but not least, we are born connected to the God who created us. Christianity informs us that we, mankind, were created for an eternal relationship with God, our Creator. For that relationship to thrive, flourish, endure, we must voluntarily submit to live according to all the laws and commandments God has established for conduct between Himself and all others. Those who cannot or will not conduct themselves in that manner, leaves God with no choice but to severe the connection. The text today is one such example of a people who rejected God’s call to exercise the proper relationship between Himself and others and God’s response to their refusal to heed His call. The reason their story is relevant is because the same thing applies to us today if we too refuse to heed God’s call to repentance and obedience. Of all the words I have read in the bible and are reported to have been said by God, none are more shocking to me than when God said to Jeremiah “Don’t pray for these people”. It means God has severed all ties to them. Their connection to God has been irrevocably and permanently broken. Our repeated refusals to heed God's call to repentance and relationship will lead God to treat us as those who are not to prayed for because He has cut us off because He knows we will never submit to His authority.