When God CALLS us, He will also EQUIP us for the TASKS!
August 7 Bible Reading: Jeremiah Chapters 1-3
When God CALLS us, He will also EQUIP us for the TASKS!
Then said I: "Ah,
Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth." But the Lord said to
me: "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' for you shall go to all to whom I send
you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their
faces, for I am with you to deliver you," says the Lord." (Jer.
1:6-8)
In the first chapter of this prophetical book, Jeremiah the
son of Hilkiah is identified, called, instructed and empowered by God for his prophetic
ministry. His father was a priest of Anathoth in Benjamin. Jeremiah was
ordained by God as a prophet even before
his birth (v. 5) but he shows reluctance citing his inexperience as a youth
(v. 6). However, Jeremiah is divinely empowered (vv. 8, 9), and commissioned to
predict destruction and restoration to Israel (v. 10).
We can understand that Jeremiah was probably only in his late teens at the time God
called him. The Hebrew term for “youth”
indicates three things about
Jeremiah: (1) He was a very young man when he became conscious of God’s call;
(2) He felt that he lacked the strength and wisdom necessary for the task to
which he was called; (3) He was inexperienced in prophetic service. However, God looked beyond his human weaknesses
and inadequacies and equipped Jeremiah for the task ahead (see Zech. 4:6).
The call of Jeremiah was
dependent upon the power of God, not upon human frailties such as age. The breadth of his ministry was wherever God chose to send him.
Jeremiah’s obligation was to be obedient and not be afraid of his circumstance.
The presence of God would be with him at all times, and God would deliver him
from all harm (v. 8). This call of Jeremiah highlighted the principle that when God calls a person to a task, He also
equips that person for the task!
Like Jeremiah, we also list our weaknesses and limitations, but
God promises His enabling presence (Matt. 28:20) and His all-sufficient grace
(2 Cor. 9:8; 12:9). Like Jeremiah, we anticipate fearful situations, but God
promises His deliverance always! God does
not call us to a task He cannot help us to fulfill. We can recall similar sense
of unworthiness from Moses (Exodus 3:4), Barak (Judges 4:8), Gideon (Judg.
6:15), Saul (1 Sam. 10:22), David (2 Sam. 7:19), Solomon (1 Kings 3:7), and
many others who understood clearly that sufficiency
for God’s service comes only from God Himself (2 Cor. 2:16).
The tasks that we are
called to do will be difficult. However, since we are called by God we will receive divine enablement to complete our tasks. God
graciously taught Jeremiah that He specializes in using “ordinary” people to accomplish His “extraordinary” work.
Just like God reassured Jeremiah of His presence and
protection, we also have the same promises from God. He will use us if we trust
Him in spite of our fears, obey Him in spite of our inexperience, and proclaim
His Word in spite of our feelings of inadequacy. When God calls us to do a task
for Him, He does not ask us to be adequate;
He only asks us to be available for
Him. When God calls us, let us believe what He says and obey Him. We may not
feel up to it, but our adequacy comes
from God and not from ourselves!
