Jeremiah Chapter 13

A linen sash was one of the more intimate pieces of clothing, clinging to the waist of a man. Jeremiah’s action showed how God would ruin Judah just as Jeremiah ruined the linen sash. It illustrated Judah’s destiny. Although the people had once been close to God, their pride had made them useless. Their sinfulness showed in how dirty and worn the linen sash had become.

God had chosen the people of Israel for great use in the world, but they had rejected God and at that point they were profitable for nothing. Therefore, God called them evil people. Jeremiah 13:10 explains 3 great sins they have done. They refused to hear the Word of God and had become cold towards His Words. They had followed the dictates of their hearts instead of God’s Commandments. And they walked after other gods to serve them and worship them, instead of worshipping the One True and Living God. God says their pride makes them good for nothing, completely useless. 

Often pride gets in the way of our relationship with God and it will rot our hearts until we lose our usefulness to God. For example, when we look down upon another, being selfish and holding firmly to our possessions and resources instead of using it to help others and for God’s purpose, when we do not seek God for wisdom in any of our decision making or when we think God is blessing us because of our own merits.

Lord Jesus calls us back to a close relationship with God. Through Him, we are given access to come to God – the Father (John 14:6), to embrace the intimate relationship He desires with us.

Are we like the linen sash that clinging closely to God or have we allowed the deceitfulness of sin to lead us astray, rendering our spiritual vitality useless?

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