Jeremiah 1:4-10 (NRSV)
Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,
“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.”
Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.” But 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. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.”
Then 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. 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.”
There is a definite echo of Moses here in Jeremiah’s call, isn’t there?
When God called Moses to lead the Hebrew people out of Egypt, Moses responded with an incredulous question, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” The more God insists, the more Moses pushes back, his final protest sounding a lot like Jeremiah: “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” Then finally, “Please send someone else.”
Jeremiah tells God the exact same thing, this time citing his age as added evidence of his unworthiness: “Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.” But just like he did with Moses, God simply won’t have any of it.
In both cases (just like many others in Scripture and throughout history), God promises something to the one he calls: he promises himself. God’s first reply to Moses is simple and to the point: “I will be with you.” And his reply to Jeremiah is the same. Not only does he say, “I will give you the words to speak,” he also tells Jeremiah, “I am with you.”
It is a simple truth heard from many pulpits through the generations: Where God calls, God equips. But there’s really more to it than that, isn’t there? God doesn’t just equip us and then push us out the door, he goes with us into the places we’re called. His empowering is both about gifts AND presence—he enables us to pursue our calling and he also stand with us as we fulfill it.
As we make our way into a new week, we know God will call us in various times and places to live and speak as his representatives. Sometimes the things he calls us to do and say will be difficult. They won’t always be well-received. And the temptation will be to slink back and wallow in our own perceived weakness and inability. But if God has opened the door, he will not only enable us to walk through it…he will go with us.
Not only are we not powerless, we are not alone.
Song: “I Am Not Alone” by Kari Jobe
Lyrics: Click here
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
How have you known God’s presence in particularly powerful ways as you live out his calling?
When you forget that God is with you, what practices and disciplines help re-center you in the truth of his presence and love?
Spend some time before God in worship and gratitude for his empowering presence and his promise to be with us as we seek to align our life with his.