Jeremiah 1:6-19
Tuesday, 24 May 2022
“Therefore prepare yourself and arise, And speak to them all that I command you.” -Jeremiah 1:17
In today’s Scripture reading we see how God chose a young man named Jeremiah to serve him. Though Jeremiah felt under qualified for this task (v.6), the One who called Him equipped and sent him to fulfill the given task of speaking God’s word to a rebellious nation, so that they would return to their Maker.
Today we too have a mandate from God; but many of us are oblivious to it. When we are ignorant of it, how will we accomplish it? God worked in two ways in Jeremiah and prepared him to face the challenges before he was sent out. God would do the very same in each of us as we yield our lives to His Lordship.
His Call (An Encounter with Him)
To fulfill God’s mandate in our lives, we need to receive His Touch-His Call (v.9). If we look through the Scriptures we see how all the men/women who were called for a specific task received a specific touch. One did not resemble the other. Each one was unique. If Abraham heard a call, Joseph had a dream, Moses saw a burning bush and Mary was visited by an angel. There was no going back. This encounter with God was the beginning of their journey to fulfill the mission that would be given to them. What is the call of God on your life?
If you have received His Touch today, have you responded to it or are you running away like Jonah? If you have hesitated or drawn back, submit to God and understand that God will fulfil His word. See what He told Jeremiah: And the LORD said, “That’s right, and it means that I am watching, and I will certainly carry out all my plans.” (V.12 NLT)
His Word
Secondly as part of the preparation, God would give us His word (v.9). He not only picks us up for the task, but tells us exactly what we are called to do. Noah was given the exact specification to build the ark that would save mankind from God’s wrath. Nathan was sent with the words from God that would cause David to recognize his sin and repent. Jeremiah was given God’s words of judgment to speak to his nation and warn his people of the coming doom. Today you and I are called to prepare the people around us for the coming of the LORD – as 1 Peter 4:11 says “…the end of all things is here… so if anyone speaks do as one who speaks the very word of God” so that men would repent and turn to God.
This is a serious call and the devil will do everything to hinder us from carrying out God’s task. The tactics he uses even today to discourage men and woman from doing God’s work is the same Jeremiah faced.
Oppression from people. (V.17)
Opposition from people. (V.19)
God knowing this well, prepared him by giving him a promise so that he would not go back in the face of hostility – Vs. 19 says “For I am with you, to deliver you.” This is the very same promise Jesus gave His disciples as He gave them the Great Commission in Matt. 28: 19&20. He tells us His present day disciples the same which put in a simple way: “Go and do the task given to you, don’t forget I am with you always, every day right up to the end of the age.”
Would each of us rise up today to take this call seriously?
Quote for the Day: "He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else." Benjamin Franklin
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