God and Jeremiah's Underwear

 

Thus said the Lord to me, ‘Go and buy yourself a linen loincloth, and put it on your loins, but do not dip it in water.’ So I bought a loincloth according to the word of the Lord, and put it on my loins. And the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, ‘Take the loincloth that you bought and are wearing, and go now to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.’ So I went, and hid it by the Euphrates, as the Lord commanded me. And after many days the Lord said to me, ‘Go now to the Euphrates, and take from there the loincloth that I commanded you to hide there.’ Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and I took the loincloth from the place where I had hidden it. But now the loincloth was ruined; it was good for nothing.

Then the word of the Lord came to me: Thus says the Lord: Just so I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own will and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this loincloth, which is good for nothing. For as the loincloth clings to one’s loins, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the Lord, in order that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory. But they would not listen. – Jeremiah 13:1-11

Jeremiah was a prophet; as such, he listened to God and did what he was told, no matter what it was. Sometimes God told the prophets to do strange or weird things, like taking a journey they did not want to take or preaching to very sinful people who turned around toward God when the prophet definitely wanted them to be severely punished (the prophet was downright angry). God told one of them to run around the center of town stark naked for a period of time, nakedness being forbidden to any other than utter madmen. Still, that prophet did what he was told. The story of Jeremiah’s underwear is another story about doing God’s will, no matter how weird it sounded.

Loincloths very possibly were among the first articles of clothing worn by humankind since Adam had to lay aside the purported fig leaf. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs show men wearing them, from pharaohs to enslaved people. Primitive tribes often used soft bark or tanned leather instead of cotton. Mahatma Gandhi wove his own from linen and even sent one to Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her coronation. Loincloths are still worn today, especially in hot and humid countries. They are even available from multiple sources on the internet.

But back to Jeremiah. God told him to go and buy a new linen loincloth and put it on, being careful not to dip it in water. I can understand buying something new and putting it on, but why not dip it in water or even wash it before wearing it, like we are so often told to do with new things? At any rate, Jeremiah was obedient and did it. But God had more for him to do: take the loincloth that he had on, go to the river, and hide it between two rocks. I wonder – did he take his old one with him to wear back home? At any rate, Jeremiah was told several days later to retrieve the newer piece of material from the rocks. The formerly new and briefly worn linen was ruined, stained by organic matter in the water, bits of dead plants and fish (and other things, no doubt), and abraded by the motion of the water and the rocks.

The point of the story is that things can quickly become unusable. God used that as a metaphor for the people of Judah and Jerusalem. God had created them to be as close to Godself as a piece of linen against the skin. Still, they had gone off, turned away, and become as useless as a piece of soggy, filthy cloth of no use to anyone, especially God. They were supposed to be God’s glory, his chosen people, and obedient to God’s every command. In internet terms, they would be considered as a FAIL.

Of course, God would forgive them and take them back if they would only see the larger picture, that of sin, repentance, and redemption, three of the big lessons of Lent. We should be doing this on a daily, if not weekly, basis. But punishment would be meted out if we needed a harsh lesson like the Judaeans and the Jeruselemites. God would prefer us to understand and make the necessary changes to prevent our becoming like ruined clothes. Punishment will come if we don’t listen to Jeremiah and the other prophets, both Biblical and contemporary.

We all sin, but we can all repent and be redeemed. It is simply a matter of listening, paying attention, and doing the right thing. It is much more important than giving up chocolate, coffee, pastry, or anything else we might think would be sufficient.

Originally published on Episcopal Café as part of Episcopal Journal, Saturday, March 18, 2023.

Finding Joy in Lent

 

I have no idea why it feels so strange to be in Lent already. It seems like it was Christmas just a few days ago, but now I find myself in March with Lent already a week or so old. Time seems to go so quickly.

I remember not knowing what Lent was. Growing up Southern Baptist, we did not observe it; it was never mentioned. As I grew up, I felt drawn to the Episcopal Church, and among the many things I learned that were different from what I had been taught before, I learned about Lent. It was a time of penance, to be more conscious of what sin was, try to avoid it, and give up something I was particularly fond of or enjoyed. I was not totally successful in giving up chocolate or Peeps, nor was I constantly looking for ways to avoid sinning. Every year I tried, and finally, I gave up observing Lent almost altogether. I avoided eating fish on Friday, but I’ve always liked fish, especially cod. It did not feel like a penance because I liked fish so much. I guess it was my first earnest attempt to observe Lent correctly.

I have since been a bit more conscientious, but I still cannot wholly observe Lent the way I think I should. Just today, I found a series of books on Kindle that I have not read in decades but have never stopped looking for. I am grateful that I found them at an affordable price, and I cannot wait to begin rereading them. It was a joyful discovery, which made me think about whether or not it was really something I should indulge in since it brought me joy in a season I was supposed to observe as a penitent.

I like the change in focus that has come into the church over the past few decades. Yes, we are still encouraged to be more spiritually focused, pray and meditate more, and try to avoid sinful thoughts and behaviors. I do try to do that, but it occurred to me that God created joy before evil crept in, so why not look for it more frequently than usual? Ok, I could probably ignore or put off some kinds of joy until Lent is over (like buying books). Still, one lesson I have learned over the years is that if I see something irresistible, get it because if I wait, it might be gone, and I will never find it again. This time I gave in and gave thanks that I had finally reencountered them and could read them at my leisure.

While my church still urges us to be less sinful and more repentant when we sin, we are now encouraged to take on things that help others and the world. We are encouraged to help our neighbor much more actively, helping with food banks and soup kitchens, finding ways to support the homeless, and caring for the poor, the children, and the elderly. We are urged to really look at our world and find ways to repair the damages we have done to it. In short, we need to learn to discover and enjoy what we do for others rather than simply the joy we find for ourselves.

I can find joy in Lent by knitting a prayer shawl for someone who could use the reminder that they are loved, not forgotten. There are some theological books I can enjoy and learn something from. Learning is a joy too. I can listen to someone who needs a pair of ears to really hear what they are saying, and I can lend my support to those I know who are sick, grieving, or suffering in some way. There is joy and enjoyment in those activities while also being opportunities to be helpful. 

Lent may not always have the joy of the pre-lenten parties and celebrations, but it can have a quiet joy that is good for the soul as well as the world. Let us find the joy and spread it – in Lent and beyond.