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4 This is what God said: 5 "Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations - that's what I had in mind for you." 6 But I said, "Hold it, Master God! Look at me. I don't know anything. I'm only a boy!" 7 God told me, "Don't say, 'I'm only a boy.' I'll tell you where to go and you'll go there. I'll tell you what to say and you'll say it. 8 Don't be afraid of a soul. I'll be right there, looking after you." God's Decree. 9 God reached out, touched my mouth, and said, "Look! I've just put my words in your mouth - hand-delivered! 10 See what I've done? I've given you a job to do among nations and governments - a red-letter day! Your job is to pull up and tear down, take apart and demolish, And then start over, building and planting." Stand Up and Say Your Piece (Jeremiah 1:4-10 The Message)
Isn't it quite incredible how much God knows about you and me? That God knew us before we were even formed! Such was part of the call of the Prophet Jeremiah and his commission. As happens with many a clergyperson even now, one is ready with excuses why he or she should not enter into ministry. Had God spoken to me in the way He spoke to Jeremiah I might have been more frightful or more convinced of what I needed to do. Jeremiah said, "I am too young! I am but a boy!" God countered his excuses as He did mine. Much of what God told Jeremiah God has told me and countless others who have responded with a yes; "I'll tell you where to go and you'll go there. I'll tell you what to say and you'll say it. Don't be afraid of a soul. I'll be right there, looking after you." How true that has been. I was always open to God's call of changes in my appointments; not all of them seemed ideal at the time, but after I had served there, I understood the reason. Many a time I stood to preach and wondered if what I had written or studied was what needed to be said, and it was. "God reached out, touched my mouth, and said, "Look! I've just put my words in your mouth --hand-delivered!" And God proceeded to outline the job that Jeremiah was to do on God's behalf; He was to speak before nations and governments, pulling up and tearing down, taking apart and demolishing; all to start over in building and planting. And that was what Jeremiah did. A small building block piece of a greater purpose. That's what your ministry might look like now; but the day will come when all will be revealed as to why we did or said what we did. For now we just do and say as we are led by God's Holy Spirit. I've shared how a Sunday school teacher in Boston went out of his way to win over a guest who had come to his class. The young man was a shoe salesman, and when giving a report of this victory, for that church had a mission to win souls and then report back to each other; the man said, "I'm afraid my one soul victory was but a shoe salesman." Well, that salesman was Dwight L. Moody, who during his lifetime was seen as the greatest evangelist, Christian author, pastor and preacher. Among his lasting achievements were the starts of institutions of higher education and Christian learning. Not too shabby a deal for a former shoe salesman. No telling what God is going to do through you; the person or persons who may come to eternal life through a word or a kind action from you. And it may be someone who's already in church but who has not yet made the connection; your faithfulness may yet be fruitfulness. Remember, it does not have to be an arena-sized endeavor; it could be a one-on-one encounter with a single person. Martin Marty at the start of a New Year once wrote when asked what he foresaw as the greatest religious event of the coming year, and he said, "The greatest event of this New Year may be the little girl in a poor neighborhood, long overlooked, who comes to faith in Jesus Christ."
PRAYER: God of the ages, thank You for trusting even me and this dear reader with the awesomeness of Your kingdom. We offer ourselves to however You may need. Guide us and bless us. Increase Your kingdom through us. This in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Reach out in love to someone today or in the days ahead to share Jesus with them.
Blessings of love,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
Your support keeps this old writer going! paypal.me/eradiovalverde. Blessings!
