God’s tool chest

Jeremiah 38:11

So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.


Have you ever thought that you were useless? I am sure you have. There are times when life in general can get us down. Maybe you have failed a school exam and you look around you think that you are the only loser. At times we feel that we can do nothing right. Our teachers are shouting at us, our parents are giving us a hard time and life just leaves you feeling worthless. Maybe its time you let God use your life and let him take control.

The passage of above is very interesting. We find that Ebed-melech makes use of some old clouts and old rotten rags. To the average eye they are only old rotten rags that are good for nothing and should be cast away. We find that they were used to pull Jeremiah out of the dungeon. They were used in the service of the king.

Let us never get the idea that we are useless. We are never useless in the service of the King of Kings. We need to be in that place of willing, ready to be of service.

As we look through out history we can see that God has used the rags of society to forward His kingdom. We can think of drunkards or others who have been steeped in sin who have been used of God to do mighty acts. Let us never forget Paul who watched as Stephen was martyred, who went on to be a mighty man after God.

Let us look into God’s tool box and see what he uses to get His work done.

Corinthians 1:27-28

Foolish things
Weak things
Base things
Despised things
Those who are nothing.

Do not worry if you do not have all the examinations that people require. May be you are a sickly person or you are poor. Does society look upon you as nothing?

Be encouraged, God can use your life if you let Him. Let us be a rotten rag in service for our Master. Even if that means we must be under the armpit of one of His servants.

Let God confound the wise and the mighty through an old rotten rag this week.