I am currently reading a book entitled Run with the Horses by Eugene Peterson and I came across this line:"I am not made for perilous quests," cried Frodo. "
"Such questions cannot be answered," said Gandalf. "You may be sure that it was not for any merit that others do not possess; not for power of wisdom, at any rate. But you have been chosen and you must therefore use such strength and heart and wits as you have."
Of course this is a line from Lord of the Rings when Frodo questions Gandalf about the one true ring. But if you take out the line about the ring and substituted Jeremiah and God for Frodo and Gandalf it could have easily been about the Jeremiah's calling and his part of his story.
We are currently in the middle of a sermon series on the prophet Jeremiah. He is probably my favorite prophet, and I think it's because I can relate to him and see some of him in me. Primarily because he was reluctant at first. Just look at when God calls him to be a prophet:
Call of Jeremiah
I'm pretty sure I would be reluctant as well. He tells Jeremiah that he will appoint him over nations and empires and he will "dig up, pull down, destroy, and demolish." Yikes!! He probably felt like Jonah did when he was asked to go to Nineveh. He is telling Jeremiah that he is going to be speaking to people and it's going to be difficult. It's going to be a difficult time to preach God's word and Jeremiah himself is going to have to deliver that tough word. If we read further we know that he will deal with the Babylonian exile and the destruction of Jerusalem in his lifetime. And to hear God say that he knew Jeremiah was going to do this before he was even born? Well, that's a double whammy. And he's going to deliver this message as a youngster. Triple whammy. Jeremiah simply does not believe he is qualified and he tries to say no.
Jeremiah's call story is not too different from others we know such as Moses and Jonah. It follows a similar pattern: God speaks, the person objects, God reassures, God appoints, prophet does what God asks. Actually it's not to different from my own call story. I objected my own call not once, not twice, but three times before I finally listened. I, like Jeremiah, felt inadequate. I felt like I wasn't ready. I felt like I was too young and maybe a bit too immature. But something a friend told me a few years ago really stuck and I've heard it many times since then. God doesn't call the equipped, God equips the called. God gave Jeremiah everything that he needed. God gives us everything that we need. Yes, Jeremiah was young but God put the words in his mouth. And it would be tough but the message Jeremiah got to share was not just to "dig up and pull down and destroy and demolish." He also got to spread a word about "building and planting." He got to build and plant. He got to participate in the building of God's kingdom through sharing God's message. He got to plant seeds in others so that they may know about God. He got to do those things even though he felt inadequate.
Jeremiah was young, felt inadequate, and was reluctant when he was called by God. What's your excuse? And yet Jeremiah eventually heeded God's call. When God calls each of us, I hope and trust that we do the same.
Grace & Peace
Kevin
We are currently in the middle of a sermon series on the prophet Jeremiah. He is probably my favorite prophet, and I think it's because I can relate to him and see some of him in me. Primarily because he was reluctant at first. Just look at when God calls him to be a prophet:
Call of Jeremiah
4 The Lord’s word came to me:
5 “Before I created you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apart; I made you a prophet to the nations.” 6 “Ah, Lord God,” I said, “I don’t know how to speak because I’m only a child.”
7 The Lord responded, “Don’t say, ‘I’m only a child.’ Where I send you, you must go; what I tell you, you must say. 8 Don’t be afraid of them, because I’m with you to rescue you,” declares the Lord.9 Then the Lord stretched out his hand, touched my mouth, and said to me,“I’m putting my words in your mouth. 10 This very day I appoint you over nations and empires, to dig up and pull down, to destroy and demolish, to build and plant.”
I'm pretty sure I would be reluctant as well. He tells Jeremiah that he will appoint him over nations and empires and he will "dig up, pull down, destroy, and demolish." Yikes!! He probably felt like Jonah did when he was asked to go to Nineveh. He is telling Jeremiah that he is going to be speaking to people and it's going to be difficult. It's going to be a difficult time to preach God's word and Jeremiah himself is going to have to deliver that tough word. If we read further we know that he will deal with the Babylonian exile and the destruction of Jerusalem in his lifetime. And to hear God say that he knew Jeremiah was going to do this before he was even born? Well, that's a double whammy. And he's going to deliver this message as a youngster. Triple whammy. Jeremiah simply does not believe he is qualified and he tries to say no.
Jeremiah's call story is not too different from others we know such as Moses and Jonah. It follows a similar pattern: God speaks, the person objects, God reassures, God appoints, prophet does what God asks. Actually it's not to different from my own call story. I objected my own call not once, not twice, but three times before I finally listened. I, like Jeremiah, felt inadequate. I felt like I wasn't ready. I felt like I was too young and maybe a bit too immature. But something a friend told me a few years ago really stuck and I've heard it many times since then. God doesn't call the equipped, God equips the called. God gave Jeremiah everything that he needed. God gives us everything that we need. Yes, Jeremiah was young but God put the words in his mouth. And it would be tough but the message Jeremiah got to share was not just to "dig up and pull down and destroy and demolish." He also got to spread a word about "building and planting." He got to build and plant. He got to participate in the building of God's kingdom through sharing God's message. He got to plant seeds in others so that they may know about God. He got to do those things even though he felt inadequate.
Jeremiah was young, felt inadequate, and was reluctant when he was called by God. What's your excuse? And yet Jeremiah eventually heeded God's call. When God calls each of us, I hope and trust that we do the same.
Grace & Peace
Kevin
