Jeremiah 13:6-11: a reflection

6After many days, the LORD said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the belt from there, which I commanded you to hide there.” 7Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and took the belt from the place where I had hidden it; and behold, the belt was ruined. It was profitable for nothing. 8Then the LORD’s word came to me, saying, 9“The LORD says, ‘In this way I will ruin the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem. 10This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and have gone after other gods to serve them and to worship them, will even be as this belt, which is profitable for nothing. 11For as the belt clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to me,’ says the LORD; ‘that they may be to me for a people, for a name, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’

God gives Jeremiah a strange sign. He had told him to bury a linen belt by the Euphrates; now, after many days, Jeremiah digs it up, and finds it ruined, good for nothing. And God explains: as a belt clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and Judah cling to me, that they might be my people, for my praise and glory; but they would not listen. They were made to cling closely to God; and in refusing that closeness, they were ruined, like the spoiled belt.

Notice the image of the belt, and what it teaches. A belt is worn close to the body, clinging to the waist; and God says he made his people to cling to him just so, in a close, intimate belonging, that they might be his, for his praise and glory. That was the purpose of their closeness: to belong to God intimately, and to bring him praise. But they refused the closeness, would not cling, and so, like the belt taken from the waist and buried, they were ruined, good for nothing, apart from the God they were made to cling to.

That image speaks to us, who are likewise made to cling closely to God. We were made for intimate closeness with God, to cling to him as a belt clings to the waist, belonging to him, for his praise and glory. And apart from that closeness, we are, like the belt taken from the waist, diminished, missing the very purpose for which we were made. Do not refuse the closeness to God for which you were made; you were made to cling to him intimately, and apart from that closeness you miss your very purpose. Cling to God closely, as a belt to the waist, belonging to him and living for his praise and glory; for that is what you were made for, and apart from it, like the spoiled belt, you are diminished. Return to the intimate closeness with God for which you were made, and do not, like Israel, refuse to cling to the God who made you to be his.

Lord, you gave Jeremiah a sign of a ruined linen belt, and explained: as a belt clings to the waist, so I made Israel and Judah cling to me, that they might be my people, for my praise and glory; but they would not listen, and so, like the spoiled belt, they were ruined. Let that image speak to me, who am likewise made to cling closely to you. I was made for intimate closeness with you, to cling to you as a belt clings to the waist, belonging to you, for your praise and glory. And apart from that closeness, I am, like the belt taken from the waist, diminished, missing the very purpose for which I was made. Keep me from refusing the closeness to you for which I was made; I was made to cling to you intimately, and apart from that closeness I miss my very purpose. Help me cling to you closely, as a belt to the waist, belonging to you and living for your praise and glory; for that is what I was made for, and apart from it, like the spoiled belt, I am diminished. Help me return to the intimate closeness with you for which I was made, Lord, and not, like Israel, refuse to cling to you, who made me to be yours. Let me cling closely to you.