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| [Image by eirasi on Flickr] |
The scales fell off my eyes that night. I, Jeremiah, heard what I'd never heard before. That night, I lay on my bed tossing from side to side, wondering if it was really me the Lord was speaking to.
Did He think I was someone else? I did not want to get carried away to forget I was from the least tribe in Israel, Benjamin.
But as a matter of fact, it was me He was speaking to. To establish this, He said:
"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you."
That's what He said. Can you believe it? Those words struck me on my chest, causing my heart to beat faster. There's no one greater than the Lord. If He says He saw me before I was born naked into the world, then so be it. But not only that, He came to my bedside to let me know who I truly am. If He didn't tell me, I would have continued living a clueless life.
"Before you were born, I sanctified you. I ordained you."
How does God ordain people before they're born? Does my foolishness in the past few years not count? Did I not get bad grades on my behaviour so far? I don't understand lots of world theories and preconceptions. How can I be sure about this so-called 'ordainment?' Ah, Lord, You are magnificent. You know it all, Master Potter. If you feel that even the mistakes of my past few years can be subject to Your will, then I submit to your majesty and sovereignty. Why do I think I'm mediocre, Father? Only You alone knows what it is you've created me to fulfil.
"Ah, Lord God! But I cannot speak. I am still very young."
Immediately I said that, I got reprimanded. "Do not say "I am Young," He answered.
Now that God has spoken, I lay right here in this same bed asking myself some questions. What is age to God? What is the length of years to God? In just one year, God is capable of teaching me everything I need to know. My mouth was too fast to complain. Am I wiser than the One who knew me before I knew myself?
"Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms."
That's it. He has said it, and by His grace, I can do it.
That night, I slept like a baby.
[Story inspired by the true account in Jeremiah Chapter 1]
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After battling with the questions in his head about why God had called him out in His youth, Jeremiah went on to give many powerful prophesies to the children of Israel. There are 52 Chapters of his words written in the good book.
When He realized that it wasn't about his small self, or lack of self esteem, He let go and allowed God to use Him. That's when He did something bigger than Himself.
See, Jesus once said that God could raise up stones to praise Him. That's if we're not willing. That's if no man feels empowered enough to come forward. That's if you don't know that you can do something bigger than yourself, that you can worship Him in spirit and truth.
I've been wondering what next to write about, and I went back to Jeremiah. It made me realize that even in the busyness of our days, when we get so pressed in-between work and play, when we can't seem to get a breathing space and everything seems to be choking us...even in these looming seconds of our days, we can still do something bigger than ourselves. Yes, we can do the very "BIG" thing that God has called us to do. It is not by our power or by our might.
Question for the Day: Have you been feeling like you can't do "it" (whatever your "it" is)? I'm telling you right now that Jeremiah didn't think he was capable. But he did it. And if he did it, you can do it too. Just throw your hands up and let them reach out to God, don't throw in the towel yet-- that's not what God made you for. You're tougher and more capable than you know. But God knows. He knew you were capable even before you were born.
