Word of Encouragement (6/9/2020)
Yesterday, we reflected on God’s calling of Jeremiah and how it applies to us. But what are we to do with God’s calling? Let’s see what we can learn from Jeremiah’s response.
When God extended His call to be a prophet to the nations, Jeremiah responded by saying, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth” (1:6). This was quite different from Moses’ response. Moses’ many excuses showed that he really didn’t want to do the job. That was not the case with Jeremiah. His response seems to arise from humility based on his awareness of his youth and lack of eloquence. This kind of self-knowledge is not bad as long as it does not turn into an excuse. It is in fact good because it will compel us to trust in the Lord rather than in our strength. Jeremiah became more keenly aware of his inadequacies by the enormity of the task to which God was calling him—to be a prophet to the nations (1:5).
To this humble and truthful confession of Jeremiah, the Lord replied, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you” (1:7-8). The Lord was not saying that Jeremiah was not a youth. He was simply pointing out that that fact was not relevant. If it was relevant, it was in showing the surpassing power and wisdom of God, who can use weak vessels like him to achieve what he could never do on his own. The key was God’s presence: “I am with you to deliver you.”
God’s presence would enable Jeremiah to fulfill his mission—to go wherever God sends him and to speak whatever God commands. The good news is that this did not apply just to Jeremiah. It applies to each of us, too, if we take up His calling by faith in humility. No matter how difficult it may seem, no matter how inadequate we may feel, we can accomplish our mission if God is with us. What is important is not what we are capable of; what is important is whether God is with us or not. The Bible is replete with the instances of God calling the least likely people to do amazing things—from the childless Abraham to be the father of many nations to Jonah, the most reluctant prophet, to bring about one of the greatest revivals with his most unloving, heartless message to the city of Nineveh.
“God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” (1 Cor. 1:27-29).
Not only does God enable us to do what we cannot do on our own; His presence also gives us the courage we need: “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you.” Indeed, if God is for us, who can be against us? Isn’t this what the history of God’s people demonstrates over and over again? Pharaoh could not hold the Hebrews back in Egypt as the Jordan River and the walls of Jericho could not stop them from advancing into the Promised Land because God was with Israel.
What is God calling you to do with your life? What is God calling you to do today? Are you overwhelmed? If God has called you to it, God will enable you. God commands you to go head in faith. God commands you to not be afraid. God promises to be with you and that makes all the difference. God will never leave you or forsake you because Jesus was rejected and abandoned for your sin so that you would never be rejected and abandoned by God.