Known. Called. Made Enough.

Scripture

 Jeremiah 1:1-10

¹The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, ²to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. ³It came also in the days of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of King Zedekiah son of Josiah of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

⁴Now the word of the LORD came to me saying,
⁵   “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
     and before you were born I consecrated you;
     I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
⁶Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.” ⁷But the LORD said to me,
     “Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’;
     for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
     and you shall speak whatever I command you.
⁸   Do not be afraid of them,
     for I am with you to deliver you,
                              says the LORD.”
⁹Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the LORD said to me,
     “Now I have put my words in your mouth.
¹⁰  See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,
     to pluck up and to pull down,
     to destroy and to overthrow,
     to build and to plant.”    (NRSV)

Devotion

 Have you ever felt too small or too ill equipped to take on a task someone assigns to you?  The prophet Jeremiah certainly felt that way.    The son of the priest Hilkiah, Jeremiah was approximately 17 years old when God called him to become a prophet to the nations.  

Jeremiah had been educated to join the priesthood, so he knew the holy scriptures and the rituals of the Jewish people well.  He was, though, understandably reticent about becoming God's chosen prophet.  The Kingdom of Judah was in danger of being taken over by its enemies to the North, and the people had forsaken God by acting unjustly and worshiping idols.  How could a mere boy find the right words to help solve these problems?  Surely God could find someone older, wiser, and more equipped to take up this humongous task of prophesying to the nations.

Jeremiah may have reservations, but God does not.  God tells the young man not to be afraid of accepting this call.  Yes, he may be young, but God knows him intimately and will give him everything he needs to do the work set before him.  Wherever Jeremiah goes, God will go with him to protect him and put words in his mouth.  Through God at work within him, Jeremiah will have the power to both tear down all that is sinful/wrong and to build up a better and more faithful people.This promise gave Jeremiah the courage to accept his call and begin his work as a prophet.  

It should come as no surprise that God remained true to God's word.  During the next 40 years, Jeremiah would proclaim God's word to 5 different kings of Judah.  He condemned idolatry, called out greedy priests and ungodly authority figures, and condemned false prophets. He begged the nation to return to God before it fell to its enemies.  When  the Kingdom of Judah was eventually conquered by Babylon, Jeremiah comforted the exiles by promising that they would one day return to their homeland.   And though Jeremiah was often maligned, persecuted, and even condemned to death, God always kept him safe.  People today remember Jeremiah as one of Israel's greatest prophets; in Judaism, his name is often mentioned alongside Moses.  Through God's grace, a young boy who answered his call went on to do amazing things.

God may not appoint us to be prophets to the nations, but we are all called to do something.   It's also not unusual for us to believe we aren't up to the challenge.  We feel too young.  Too old.  Too busy.  Too much of a novice.  Too something.  We are sure that if we just point out how unsuited we are for the task at hand, God will go find someone better.  

God, though, has known us from the very beginning and knows that we are indeed the right person for the task at hand.  When we are called to speak but don't know quite what to say, God will give us the right words.  When we feel compelled to act but aren't sure how it will go over, God will give us the resources, skills, and companions to make it work.  And if we just trust in God and live into that call, we will be amazed by the work God can accomplish through little old us.

I have personally seen how God can empowers everyday people, tiny churches, and small communities to make a big impact on the world. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, my mechanic grandfather used his skills and his connections to help create a credit union, a healthcare clinic, and a public water and sewer district in his rural West Virginia community.  Through hard work and a lot of faith, everyday people in a church I served in Louisville, KY were able to donate entire truckloads of furniture, dishes, bedding, etc. to organizations that helped set up political refugees in their first apartments.  I've seen everyday individuals share a hot meal and a sense of dignity with hundreds of food-insecure people.  I've seen them and offer comfort and guidance to people in spiritual distress...and provide shelters for the homeless.  And so much more.

The folks who did these things usually had their doubts when they started out.  They all felt unqualified and unprepared, and they didn't think they would be able to accomplish much.  But when they set their misgivings aside and agreed to answer Christ's call to help their community, the Holy Spirit surprised them with just how much they could do...for God was with them every step of the way.  They may not have been official "prophets," but every of them served as a prophetic witness to the power of God's love, justice, and mercy at work in the world.

This Lent, I challenge you to reflect upon what witness God is asking you to make in the world.  Where are you called to step up, step out, and take action?  Once you recognize God's call, I hope you have the faith to answer it...even if you feel like you don't have what it takes.   The way forward may not be easy, but with God to there to guide and equip you, you will have what it takes to do the work set before you.  That work will help change the world.

Prayer

God, you have been with me from the beginning, and you know me even better than I know myself.  Give me the courage to answer your call to go into the world and faithfully serve you.  I trust that just as you were there for Jeremiah, you will remain with me to give me what I need in order to accomplish the task you set before me.  In Jesus name I pray Amen.