May 21
God equips the called
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. Jeremiah 1:7 (NKJV)
Word for word, Jeremiah is the second longest book in the Bible (after Psalms). But if it weren’t for what we read just seven verses into it, there probably wouldn’t have even been a Book of Jeremiah! To understand why, we need to back up and look at what God says to the prophet Jeremiah in the fifth verse:
“Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV)
That’s pretty straightforward. The Lord tells Jeremiah that he has been chosen to be a prophet, to speak for God, to the people who lived in that time. But watch Jeremiah’s response to this call:
Then said I: “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” (Jeremiah 1:6 NKJV)
Instead of embracing his calling, Jeremiah basically says, “You’ve got the wrong guy, God. I’m too young. I can’t possibly speak on your behalf to the people.” It’s safe to say that if the book ended there, then there’d be no book. Jeremiah would have remained stalled in his own inadequacies.
But it doesn’t end there. In verse seven we see, “But the LORD,” and the Lord goes on to confront and correct Jeremiah about imposing his own inadequacies on the divine call He had received. And because the Lord intervenes here, Jeremiah learned that God equips those He calls, and consequently the prophet accepts and fulfills his calling.
Does that sound somewhat familiar? Has God tapped on your heart to do something? And have you responded the way Jeremiah did, by looking at your own inadequacies and concluding you just couldn’t rise to the task?
If so, consider what this “But the Lord” represents and reveals. God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called. Don’t let who you are prevent you from trusting in what God can do through you.
Think About It…
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?
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