My Shame Can Only Be Covered Through Christ
Scripture Passage: Jeremiah 13:15-27 (NASB)
15 Listen and pay attention, do not be haughty;
For the Lord has spoken.
16 Give glory to the Lord your God
Before He brings darkness
And before your feet stumble
On the mountains in the dark,
And while you are hoping for light
He makes it into gloom,
And turns it into thick darkness.
17 But if you do not listen to it,
My soul will weep in secret for such pride;
And my eyes will shed
And stream down tears,
Because the flock of the Lord has been taken captive.
18 Say to the king and the queen mother,
“Take a lowly seat,
For your beautiful crown
Has come down from your head.”
19 The cities of the Negev have been locked up,
And there is no one to open them;
All Judah has been taken into exile,
Wholly taken into exile.
20 “Raise your eyes and see
Those coming from the north.
Where is the flock that was given you,
Your beautiful sheep?
21 What will you say when He appoints over you—
And you yourself had taught them—
Former companions to be head over you?
Will sharp pains not take hold of you
Like a woman in childbirth?
22 If you say in your heart,
‘Why have these things happened to me?’
Because of the magnitude of your wrongdoing
Your skirts have been removed
And your heels have suffered violence.
23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin,
Or the leopard his spots?
Then you as well can do good
Who are accustomed to doing evil.
24 Therefore I will scatter them like drifting straw
To the desert wind.
25 This is your lot, the portion measured to you
From Me,” declares the Lord,
“Because you have forgotten Me
And trusted in falsehood.
26 So I Myself have stripped your skirts off over your face,
So that your shame will be seen.
27 As for your adulteries and your lustful neighings,
The outrageous sin of your prostitution
On the hills in the field,
I have seen your abominations.
Woe to you, Jerusalem!
How long will you remain unclean?”
SUMMARY
Jeremiah warns Judah of God’s impending judgment if they do not turn to God and worship the Lord. They will be shamefully exposed for the magnitude of their sins, and they will be scattered like drifting straw. God Himself would expose their adulteries and uncleanness. Jeremiah points out that Judah could not possibly change their evil ways because they are so accustomed to them.
MEDITATION AND REFLECTION
This passage reminds me that my sinful condition could be solved by only one solution that was the painful and loving sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Just like the Ethiopian cannot change his skin, nor the leopard change his spots (v.23), I cannot change my sinful inclinations no matter how hard I try. But Jesus was the only way to rescue me from hopelessness. He paid the just price for all the grave shortcomings and sins of mankind.
APPLICATION
I want to cling closer to Jesus, my friend, who clothes me in His righteousness because my numerous sins and adulteries against Him are too shameful to expose. He is the one who robes me in His grace, to completely cover my sin and shame, so that my skirt would not be removed and my heels would not suffer violence (v. 22). I want to be the best of friends with this tender-hearted, gracious Savior by enjoying his fellowship through prayer and knowing His heart through His Word. Just like investing my time and heart in a friendship with someone I adore, I want to pursue a closer relationship with this wonderful Savior, who is the only one who could cover my sin with the perfect work He accomplished for me.
PRAYER
Dear Heavenly Father,
By your unexplainable, incalculable grace, you clothe me in garments that are white as snow so that I never need to experience shame. As I remember your work of justice, mercy, and grace my heart is so full of gratitude and joy. No matter what I face, I know I am forgiven, and fully covered, because of the painful and precious blood that you shed to pay for my iniquities. I am clothed by my Father’s garments of grace. I’m so thankful that you made a way for me.
Thank you for the price you paid for sinners. I want to know my wonderful Savior more and more.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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