Jeremiah was God's prophet. We are introduced to him in Jeremiah 1:5- 9. God spoke to Jeremiah these words " Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest out of the womb, I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." But Jeremiah replied, Ah Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a child.
Jeremiah's excuse was similar to his ancestor, Moses, but Moses was much older when God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Jeremiah was still in his youth. It's understandable for him to have been fearful after God shared his plan for Jeremiah's life. A prophet. Jeremiah's father was Hilkiah, a priest. But God chosen plan was for him to be a prophet, not a priest.
God gives a command to Jeremiah. "Say not I am a child." When God calls us to do a specific mission or work for him, he does not want to hear our excuses or the negative talk. Then God gives him a larger view of what Jeremiah will do as a prophet. He will go to wherever God sends him and he will speak all that God commands him to speak.
Then God calms Jeremiah's anxieties by saying " Be not afraid of their faces, for I am with thee to deliver thee." Then Jeremiah wrote in verse 9 "Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said Behold I have put my words in thy mouth. "
Imagine what Jeremiah's bedtime thoughts were that night. He may have touched his lips as he said to himself " What will my father say when I tell him that the Lord God spoke to me today and told me I will be a prophet, that he touched me?" Up until this time, Jeremiah may have had his dreams set on being a priest, carrying on the family's tradition, but now those plans had been changed because God had revealed His plan for Jeremiah.
This introduction to Jeremiah, as we see his encounter with God speaks to me in several ways:
1. God knew about Jeremiah before He created him with His hands. He set him apart for special use before he was even born. His plan was very specific: Jeremiah will be my prophet.
2. When God called him, Jeremiah had an excuse, and it was a valid excuse.
3. God refuted the excuse and reached out and touched his mouth and told him He was putting His words in Jeremiah's mouth.
God has a specific plan for each of his children. Just like Jeremiah, when the time is right, to reveal that plan, He will empower us to do His work!
Jeremiah's excuse was similar to his ancestor, Moses, but Moses was much older when God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Jeremiah was still in his youth. It's understandable for him to have been fearful after God shared his plan for Jeremiah's life. A prophet. Jeremiah's father was Hilkiah, a priest. But God chosen plan was for him to be a prophet, not a priest.
God gives a command to Jeremiah. "Say not I am a child." When God calls us to do a specific mission or work for him, he does not want to hear our excuses or the negative talk. Then God gives him a larger view of what Jeremiah will do as a prophet. He will go to wherever God sends him and he will speak all that God commands him to speak.
Then God calms Jeremiah's anxieties by saying " Be not afraid of their faces, for I am with thee to deliver thee." Then Jeremiah wrote in verse 9 "Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said Behold I have put my words in thy mouth. "
Imagine what Jeremiah's bedtime thoughts were that night. He may have touched his lips as he said to himself " What will my father say when I tell him that the Lord God spoke to me today and told me I will be a prophet, that he touched me?" Up until this time, Jeremiah may have had his dreams set on being a priest, carrying on the family's tradition, but now those plans had been changed because God had revealed His plan for Jeremiah.
This introduction to Jeremiah, as we see his encounter with God speaks to me in several ways:
1. God knew about Jeremiah before He created him with His hands. He set him apart for special use before he was even born. His plan was very specific: Jeremiah will be my prophet.
2. When God called him, Jeremiah had an excuse, and it was a valid excuse.
3. God refuted the excuse and reached out and touched his mouth and told him He was putting His words in Jeremiah's mouth.
God has a specific plan for each of his children. Just like Jeremiah, when the time is right, to reveal that plan, He will empower us to do His work!
