God Enables Us - Jeremiah

The LORD replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the LORD, have spoken!”

Jeremiah 1:7-8

Crossing one of life’s milestones can excite and frighten you. Maybe the day you left home for college, you realized that life would never again be as simple as it once was. When you stood at the altar, you suddenly realized that life would no longer be just about me, but about us. When your first child entered the world, it may have registered that you had become responsible for the health, safety, and security of another human being.

Life features many moments that can make you feel inadequate or unqualified. If you can remember one of those moments, you can probably identify with how a young prophet-to-be named Jeremiah may have felt when God called him to preach and prophesy in God’s name.

When the Lord called Jeremiah to prophesy against the rebellious nation of Israel, he informed the young man that even before his mother gave birth to him, he had been chosen to serve as God’s mouthpiece. We can imagine Jeremiah’s mouth going dry, his hands trembling, and his stomach turning to mush as he heard the voice of the Lord calling him to do these things.

“I’m too young to speak for you!” Jeremiah protested.

Jeremiah lacked the confidence to eagerly accept God’s call mostly because he hadn’t grasped the simple truth that God never calls anyone to do something without first equipping that person to do it successfully. In truth, God had Jeremiah right where he wanted him, in a place where he could clearly see his own weakness and his need for God’s empowerment. Jeremiah was the right man for the job for two reasons: God called him and God enabled him.

The next time you feel overwhelmed or unqualified to carry out what God has called you to do—congratulations! The Lord has you right where he wants you, in a place of humility and dependence on him for the empowerment you’ll need for success.