Finding Your Purpose in God's Plan
Author: Pastor Kenji
July 14, 2025
In Jeremiah 13, we find a strange but powerful story about a prophet, a loincloth, and a profound message about our relationship with God. Through this unusual prophetic act, God reveals His heart for His people
and shows us what happens when we drift away from our intended purpose.
What Was God's Original Intention for His People?
God instructed Jeremiah to buy a new linen loincloth, wear it without washing it, and then travel to the Euphrates River to bury it in the rocks. Later, God told him to retrieve it, only to find it completely ruined -
rotting and falling apart, "good for nothing."
This seemingly bizarre act carried deep symbolism. The loincloth represented two important aspects of
God's relationship with His people:
1. Purity - The clean, unwashed loincloth symbolized the pure relationship God desired with His people.
2. Closeness - Just as a loincloth clings to a person's body, God created His people to cling closely to Him.
God explains the meaning in verses 10-11: "These wicked people refuse to listen to me. They stubbornly follow their own desires and worship other gods. Therefore they will become like this loincloth, good for nothing. As a loincloth clings to a man's waist, so I created Judah and Israel to cling to me, says the Lord. They were to be my people, my pride, my glory, and an honor to my name. But they would not listen to me."
What Does It Mean to Be God's People?
According to verse 11, God intended for His people to be three things:
1. His People
God wanted a relationship where His people felt at home with Him - where there was a natural fit and connection. Just like when you reunite with a close friend after years apart and it feels like no time has passed, God wanted His people to experience that sense of belonging with Him.
2. His Pride
This isn't about sinful pride but the good kind - like how parents proudly talk about their children. God wanted to be able to point to His people and say, "Look at how they live! Look at who they are! Look how beautiful and amazing they are!" He wanted them to be His pride and joy.
3. His Glory
Glory has two meanings here - light and weight. God's people were meant to reflect His light in the world and carry the weight of His presence and importance. They were meant to illuminate the world around them and demonstrate the significance of God's character.
Why Did God's People Fail Their Purpose?
The people of Judah failed in three specific ways:
1. They refused to listen to God - They didn't organize their lives around hearing and obeying God's voice.
2. They stubbornly followed their own desires - They prioritized their own plans and wishes over God's direction.
3. They worshiped other gods - They sacrificed to created things hoping these would deliver them from their problems.
This pattern isn't just ancient history - it's the human condition. We all tend to organize our lives around our own desires rather than God's voice. We all make sacrifices to "false gods" - whether it's strength, youth, success, or comfort - hoping these created things will somehow save us.
How Did Jesus Fulfill What We Could Not?
Jesus perfectly embodied what it means to be God's person, pride, and glory:
• From childhood, Jesus demonstrated unusual closeness with God (remember when He stayed behind at the temple at age 12?)
• Throughout His ministry, Jesus only did what the Father told Him to do.
• At His baptism, God declared, "This is my Son, whom I love. With him I am well pleased."
• On the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus radiated glory, His face "shining like the sun".
Jesus didn't just demonstrate what our relationship with God should look like - He made it possible through His death and resurrection. He entered the filth of the world to restore us to the faith of heaven. He showed us how much God loves us and wants to be close to us.
How Can We Return to God's Original Purpose?
To become God's people, pride, and glory again, we need to reverse the sins that led Israel astray:
1. Listen attentively to God - Spend time daily talking to God through prayer, Bible reading, and Christian community.
2. Submit your desires to God's will - Surrender your plans and wishes to God's direction.
3. Renounce idols - Examine where your time, money, and mental energy go - these reveal what you truly worship.
When we follow Jesus, our entire perspective changes. Instead of organizing life around our own happiness, we begin to see our purpose as loving others as Christ loved us. This transforms every relationship - marriage, parenting, work, and more.
Life Application
Our world desperately needs to find God again, and it's up to us as the church to lead the way. Here are some practical steps to take this week:
1. Examine your schedule and bank account - Where is your time and money flowing? This reveals what you truly value and worship.
2. Notice what occupies your thoughts - What do you worry about most before falling asleep? What do you obsess over? These could be "gods" in your life.
3. Make a conscious decision to reorganize your life - Choose today to follow Jesus so that you can be His person, His pride, and His glory.
Ask yourself:
• How much time do I spend each week intentionally trying to hear God's voice?
• In what areas of my life am I stubbornly following my own desires rather than surrendering to God?
• What "false gods" am I sacrificing to, hoping they'll save me from my problems?
Today is the first day of the rest of your life following Jesus. Will you choose to be the person God created you to be - His pride, His glory, and His beloved?
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