e-votional
a message to encourage and uplift from College Heights Baptist Church
Wednesday January 7, 2009
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1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2 to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
4 Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
And before you were born I consecrated you;
I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” 6 Then I said, “Alas, Lord GOD!
Behold, I do not know how to speak,
Because I am a youth.” 7 But the LORD said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’
Because everywhere I send you, you shall go,
And all that I command you, you shall speak. 8 “Do not be afraid of them,
For I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD. 9 Then the LORD stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me,
“Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. 10 “See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms,
To pluck up and to break down,
To destroy and to overthrow,
To build and to plant.” – Jeremiah 1:1-10, NASB
Have you ever heard someone say, “I was born for this?” Maybe they are particularly good at their job or have a special skill that just seems to come naturally to them. We look at people like that and marvel.
God tells Jeremiah that he was born to be a prophet. As a matter of fact, long before Jeremiah was even thought of, God knew him. He knew his fears and anxieties. He knew his strengths and weaknesses. He knew how many hairs and freckles he would have. God knew everything about him. How so? Because God is the one who put him together.
Not only did God weave Jeremiah into being, but He also set him apart to be a prophet. As Jeremiah struggled with the reality of God’s calling on his life, God reminded the prophet that He was with him. Jeremiah couldn’t speak well, but God would give him the words. Jeremiah was too young, but God assured him with His presence. He had a task given to him by God, and God would be sure he was equipped to carry it out.
In a similar vein, you and I are formed by the hand of God. God knows everything about us. He attached our fingers and our toes. He installed our hearts and lungs. We bear His fingerprint. We are His masterpiece. Not only did God make us, but He wants to use us. Like Jeremiah, He set us apart. Sure, maybe you aren’t a prophet. Maybe you are a teacher or a nurse or a business man. Maybe you are a retiree or a stay at home mom. Maybe you don’t know for sure what you are right now, but know that God is with you. We can serve Him with passion and abandon because He has promised us that He is with us.
I know some of us are saying, “It’s easy for Jeremiah.” It wasn’t. As a matter of fact, Jeremiah would face a long, challenging ministry. He was not well liked. He did not have a popular message. He was threatened and ignored. He faced false prophets and cynical skeptics. Through it all, God was with him. Just like He is with us through everything we face. God does not point the direction we are to go. Instead, He says “follow me.” He is there all the time, giving us the words and the strength to press on.
Don’t despair. Don’t quit. Keep going. Understand that God made you and He can use you – right where you are. After all, you were born to do this.
Pastor Darrell
