Rev Gav

Calling

Jeremiah 1.4–10

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.’

Reflect

It’s kinda hard to get our heads around isn’t it? God knew Jeremiah and determined to make Jeremiah God’s spokesperson before he was born, and this makes me wonder. Do you think our calling or God-ordained mission is within us, even before birth? I do.

Many of us spend our lives perfecting and honing skills to perform a particular task or role in society, but God’s role for us is in us from the beginning, and regarding this vocation, like Jeremiah, it does not depend on our physical or mental ability.

We were chosen by God to be God’s representatives in the world, and every one of us is equipped to fulfil this mandate. We are called to join in with God’s ongoing mission, and knowing this shapes our lives — our roles and relationships. Everything we do ‘on the ground’, our day-jobs, our interactions, our likes and dislikes, and so on, all fall under the banner of our vocation to be first of all, followers of Christ.

We may feel inadequate, incapable, or incompetent to honour God’s request, but all God asks of us is to follow, and through following, God equips us and empowers us with the Holy Spirit.

We are called to be God’s agents and ambassadors to a hurting and broken world — to bring God’s love and compassion into the lives of others and to the world around us. Today, may you know both God’s calling and God’s provision, and go! Go and be fabulous. You got this!

Pray

Holy God
Sometimes I feel
so inadequate to
be Jesus to the world,
yet all I need to do
is to follow you.
Equip me with your Spirit
that my voice
may be your voice,
and my hands
be your hands
to a broken
and hurting world.
This day and forever.