Jeremiah 1

The call of the Prophet

In the first chapter of Jeremiah we are introduced to the prophet. But before he was a prophet he was a priest. During the reign of Josiah(a good king) the Lord came to Jeremiah and called him to be a prophet to the nation of Judah. Jeremiah was a young man at the time and his first response was, “I don’t know how to speak, I am only a youth.”

Has God ever called you to something you felt like you were not capable of doing? Have you ever told God that maybe He picked the wrong person for the job? Maybe you felt God telling you to share your faith with your friends at school but you felt like you couldn’t. You did not know what to say, you weren’t sure if they would listen, what if they ask a question you don’t have the answer to? All these things can keep us from doing the work of God. But God does not call us to something He will not give the ability to accomplish.

Look at what God’s response to Jeremiah was in 1:7-10. God specifically told Jeremiah that He would give the words to him. God would give Jeremiah the ability that he lacked so that he could accomplish what the Lord told him to do. Do you really think that when God calls you to share the Gospel with someone and leave you hanging? He will help you and He enable you. This does not mean that you should go around and get into arguments about Christianity with everyone you see, wait for the Holy Spirit to guide you.

Does God view youth the same way that we do? I don’t think so. Where we see immaturity and lack of experience I think God see’s potential and a way to bring glory and honor to himself. What is more God glorifying than a young person living a life sold out for God and giving the honor to God?  1 Timothy 4:12 says “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” So next time you feel like you are too young or people will look down on you because of your age, set an example for them to the glory of God.