The most interesting part of this story is in verse 11, “For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to Me,” declares the Lord, ‘that they might be for Me a people, for renown, for praise and for glory; but they did not listen.’ What a frightening indictment of the people of Israel and Judah. God said that he made them for a purpose. He said he desired them to cling to Him as a waistband clings to a man, but something happened. They did not listen. They did not bring renown or glory or praise to the name of the Lord. We don’t often use that word, renown. It is an old Middle English word meaning to name or to speak of. It simply means that a particular name is widely acclaimed or highly regarded. Isn’t that our desire for God’s name. If His name is not highly regarded, that means His name is shamed. God will protect his own name. He will bring glory to himself, even if we do not.
I want to challenge you to exalt Christ this week. God desires one thing from his people above all else: Reflect His Glory. If we are faithful to reflect the glory of Christ everything else falls into place. We have a desire to be in His word, to pray, to share the gospel. Let’s not become like the ruined waistband, worthless for the Kingdom of Christ.
In Christ,
Blain Craig