Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
Jeremiah 1:4-10 – You Want Me to do What?
Overwhelmed! Shocked! Dazed! Inundated! Staggered! Can you think of any other adjectives to describe what you felt when you got assigned a responsibility that you didn’t want, and that you didn’t think you could do? Did you feel like quitting? Did you even try?
Now suppose the one who assigns this overwhelming task to you is God! Do we ever feel like quitting? Do we even try?
Jeremiah was more than just a bull frog in a 70’s song by “Three Dog Night.” Jeremiah was a young man – maybe even a teenager – with a big job – the biggest job. An overwhelming, shocking, staggering job!
Before God lets Jeremiah in on His little secret, God says some amazing things about Jeremiah – and about Himself. “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.” (Jeremiah 1:5) What is the purpose of this prefacing by God? In my opinion, God is telling Jeremiah, “I made you. I know you. I hand picked you. I have a job for you.” Then Wham! God tells him the job – Jeremiah is to be a prophet to the nations. Out of all the prophets in the all of the world, only Jeremiah is called “a prophet to the nations.” What a job! What a glorious opportunity! So naturally, Jeremiah gladly and readily accepted it! Right? Wrong!
Jeremiah naturally got scared and became filled with self-doubt.
We can divide Jeremiah’s response into three sections:
- Exclamation – “Alas, Lord GOD [YHWH]!” God’s call can be intimidating and overwhelming, whether for the life of a prophet or the life of a Christian. Have you ever looked straight up into heaven and exclaimed loudly or silently, but reverently and not vainly, “Oh my God!?
- Excuse – “Behold, I do not know how to speak.” Does this excuse remind us of anyone (Cf., Exodus 4:10)? How often and how quick are we to make excuses for ourselves?
- Explanation – “Because I am a youth” The word [naar (5288)] used to describe Jeremiah covers a child from the age of infancy to adolescence. Jeremiah was approximately 20 years old, some suggest as young as 8 to 18. Whatever Jeremiah’s age, cultural expectations were for the young to not speak in public affairs. God had other plans! Come to think of it, God often has plans for us contrary to cultural expectations.
We can divide God’s response into four sections:
- God Encourages Jeremiah #1 – Don’t focus on your weaknesses; focus on 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. (v.7). “I can’t do it” is mostly likely true. Can God do it? Its hard to say no to that, isn’t? However, the real question is not my personal weakness or God’s strength. It is my spiritual weakness. “Do I want to have God work through me?” is the real question.
- God Encourages Jeremiah #2 – Don’t be afraid; I am with you: “Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD. (v.8). Fear is often a motivating factor for disobedience (Ezek.2:6; Mt.10:28). When we say we can’t do something, is that the real truth? Often it is we are afraid to. We are afraid of failure. We are afraid of ridicule. Don’t be – God is with you.
- God Encourages Jeremiah #3 – Don’t use your words; use MINE: 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. (v.9) Without the aid of direct inspiration today, we can pray for knowledge and wisdom. Before speaking, before answering questions, before giving advice, do we pray?
- God Encourages Jeremiah #4 – Don’t use your power; use MINE: “See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdom…. (v.10) God appoints people for particular times. I don’t know what God has appointed you to do. I do not even know all He has planned for me. We both know though, that if God is with us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) And who are we to argue with God?
All of the above can be summed up in this pithy comment: “God does not call the qualified; he qualifies the called.”
When God appoints us to do His work, we only have two choices: 1) to accept it; or 2) to reject it. Too often we go for a third or fourth choice: 3) to try it; 4) to think about It.
If we choose to accept, we have two choices: 1) to become puffed up with pride at such a magnificent task; or, 2) to be humbled at such a magnificent task.
When God chooses us, what will we do? That is, after we are Overwhelmed! Shocked! Dazed! Inundated! And Staggered!
Comments