August 9th~Cling-ons

Jeremiah 12:1-15:21

Jeremiah records Judah’s terrible drought that resulted from the actions of His wicked people. “You love to wander far from Me and do not follow in My paths. Now I will no longer accept you as My people. I will remember all your wickedness and will punish you for your sins” (14:10).

When Jeremiah began to pray for the people, the Lord refused to let him intercede. “Do not pray for these people anymore. When they fast, I will pay no attention. When they present their offerings, I will not accept them. I will give them only war, famine, and disease” (14:11, 12).

It was pretty clear that the Lord had reached the end of His patience. “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me pleading for these people, I wouldn’t help them. Away with them! Get them out of My sight! I am tired of always giving them another chance. I will destroy My own people because they refuse to turn back to Me from all their evil ways” (15:1, 6, 7).

To help Jeremiah understand the situation better, God gave him an object lesson. “Go and buy a linen belt,” He said, “and put it around your waist.” When Jeremiah did as he was instructed, the Lord said, “Take the belt and go to the Euphrates River. Hide it there in a hole in the rocks.” Jeremiah did it. After some time had passed, God returned to the prophet and said, “Go back to the Euphrates and get the belt that I told you to hide there.” When Jeremiah dug it out of the hole, it was mildewed and falling apart. The belt was useless (12:1-7).

What was the lesson? “My people are like this belt,” God said, “good for nothing. As a belt clings to a person’s waist, so I created Judah and Israel to cling to Me. They were to be My people, My pride, My glory, an honor to My name, but they would not listen” (12:10, 11).

Daily Reflection

As God’s people, you and I are “cling-ons.”

No, we are not like the humanoid Klingons of Star Trek, who have those dreadful lobotomy scars on their foreheads. We, like the people of Judah and Israel, were made to cling to the Lord, to represent Him on the earth, to be His glory and to be an honor to His name.

Sadly, though, when we distance ourselves from Him and neglect our relationship with Him, our belt loses its clinginess. We slip and fall away from our purpose. As Jeremiah said, “A belt that no longer clings is useless.”

How are you doing at clinging to the Lord? Are you holding to His plan and purpose for your life or are you clinging to your own way?

What does it take to be a good cling-on, to fulfill your purpose as God’s representative on earth?

We are Christ’s cling-ons, His ambassadors, and God is using us to draw others to cling to Him. Be faithful to develop your personal relationship with Him. Stay true to His cause and purpose for your life; and, in the words of the most famous Vulcan, “Live long and prosper.”

BiAY.org | Day 221 — 144 Days to Go