[Shared this with Salem Chapel staff during our weekly ministry meeting.]
God has a sense of humor. That’s the only way to understand Jeremiah 13:1-11. Jeremiah was a prophet tasked with preaching to Israel about their rebellious ways. One day God decides to teach Jeremiah a lesson, a very visual lesson. He said, “Jerry, I want you to head down to Cahill and Swain and requisition yourself a new loincloth.”
Now loincloth is a sweet Bible name for underwear. In ancient days, the loincloth was often worn so others could see. Come to think of it, you can probably see an example at the People of Walmart website. Anyway, back to the story. Jehovah didn’t tell Jerry to purchase some run of the mill Fruit of the Loom whitey-tighties. Oh no. Only high dollar boutique linen undergarments would be good enough for a servant of God. The prophet followed orders and rocked the new linens. After sporting the loincloth for a little while, God tacked on a new command. Go hide the undies. Jerry went to the Euphrates river, dug a hole under a rock and hid the linens.
Many days passed and God added a new twist. “Go back and get the loincloth.” By now Jeremiah must have been thinking, “What’s up with this undergarment? Why is God so concerned with my nether region apparel?” But he followed the directive and dug up the now ruined loincloth. Then God began his explanation.
The Lord gives us a way to live. It is not overly rigid. It is not oppressive. In fact, it is freeing, liberating and encouraging. Yet people always seem to walk away from the loving plan God has for them.
Thus God said he would spoil the pride of Judah and the arrogance of his people like the spoiled loincloth because they walked away. When people choose to worship things and false gods, as well as rely upon themselves for spiritual success, God must take action and he used the spoiled loincloth as an illustration to Jeremiah. Here’s where the lesson takes a weirdly graphic twist.
He told Jeremiah that the loincloth represented the way in which he had created his people to cling to his waist. My takeaway is that the waist represents the strength and core of a body. In sports, the hands may move, the arms may wave, the legs may jab step, but wherever the waist goes, the entire body goes. God communicates that he called people to be with him. We are not to get ahead or fall behind.
Further, we are to cling to him. Let’s face it, the loincloth covered the unmentionables. The takeaway here….God wants his people close. He wants us to enjoy intimate, private knowledge. When we cling to Him, we get the insider information, the power of the Holy Spirit, the hope of a conquering king, the freedom from our sinful nature. Remember his whole purpose was to make a mighty nation, a name, a praise, and a glory out of his people. That’s what He wanted for them. That’s what He desires for His church.
I challenged our staff that the exciting things occurring at Salem Chapel are to be enjoyed and celebrated. We shouldn’t be waiting for the “other shoe to drop”. It is God’s desire to bring glory to Himself through men and women committed to His mission. As long as we understand who wins the battles, who gets the credit and that numerical increases are reflective of a healthy Spirit-led ministry, not the objective of organizational development. The warning? It is those who stubbornly refuse to listen, who do not cling, who rely upon themselves, who grieve the Spirit of God that are rejected, pushed aside, left to spoil becoming good for nothing.
I am certain I will never teach, give announcements or preach God’s word while sporting only a linen loincloth, and for which our folk are quite thankful. Yet it is so fascinating to me that the Father takes the most basic and simplest of apparel and teaches us profound truths. Next time you’re getting dressed, use those minutes to cling to God in prayer. Simple, but not easy.
