“Now it came to pass after many days that the Lord said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take from there the sash which I commanded you to hide there.” Then I went to the Euphrates and dug, and I took the sash from the place where I had hidden it; and there was a sash, ruined. It was profitable for nothing.” -Jeremiah 13:6-7

Jeremiah was commanded by the Lord to hide a sash that was miles away. How far was this hidden sash? Round trip, about 1,200 miles!

The sash represented the people of Judah and Jerusalem which over time because of their pride, idolatry and stubbornness began to profit nothing to God. Put simply, the people had become useless in God’s family of advancing His Kingdom.

In the same way, when we continue to disobey God, we are like that dirty linen sash. Good for nothing.

Disobedience can show up in many forms in our life. Have you ever prayed to the Lord for something and because it seemed like forever for the Lord to answer, you impatiently moved forward without hearing from the Lord?

That is disobedience.

On the contrary, Jeremiah did not hesitate to obey the instructions of the Lord. He was probably thinking, “Why do I have to travel all this way, just to dig up a dirty linen sash? I don’t get it God. But I will do it.”

Does it seem strange that God would have Jeremiah travel all that way, and go through what he had to go through just to prove a point?

As Christians, we must not hesitate or question God when He instructs us to do something. You need no other “sign” from God but His word. God is looking for those who are obedient and faithful.

Proverbs Chapter 20, verse 6 reads, “Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?”

Sin (disobedience) is serious. And Jeremiah might have learned a valuable lesson by obeying the Lord’s instructions.

First, we must take sin seriously because God hates sin.

Secondly, we take sin seriously because of the consequences of sin.

Thirdly, we take sin seriously because it cost Jesus His life.

When we think of sin, we think of only the Ten Commandments, but disobedience can simply be not heeding the voice of God.

If God has called you for His purpose, we need not hesitate. You might not fully understand the “why.” But God is looking for those who are faithful and obedient.

Jeremiah 7:23 – “I only gave them this command: ‘Obey Me and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do all that I command, and good things will happen to you.”

“Whatever You say Lord, I will obey!”