The Call

“The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. The word of the Lord came to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah, and through the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.

“The word of the Lord came to me, saying:

‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

Before you were born I set you apart;

I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’

“`Ah, Sovereign Lord’ I said, `I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.’

“But the Lord said to me, `Do not say, `I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,’ declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 1: 1 – 8 NIV)

There are many lessons we can learn from Jeremiah’s call. Foremost would be that when God asks us to do something; when God calls; there are no excuses we can bring that are satisfactory. Basically, we must conclude that God knows what He is doing. When he calls He is absolutely serious. We cannot say that we are too young, too old, too poor, not fit, not smart, or any other of a thousand reasons that leap to our minds when God calls.

In the case of Jeremiah, God had a specific plan in mind. He called Jeremiah to be a prophet to the nations. He called him at a time of trouble for Judah. He knew that Jeremiah would face persecution and promised to rescue him.

Whatever the call is for our lives; God has a specific purpose and plan in mind. He has planned for the call from the time you were conceived. Some would even go so far as to say from the foundations of the world or from all eternity. I am happy to realize that as soon as I was conceived God had a specific plan in mind for my life.

Generally speaking, for all of us, the plan and purpose of God is to be formed into the image of His Son, Jesus:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” (Romans 8: 28 – 30 NIV)

We have been born at a unique time in history. We have seen fulfilled, and are witnessing the continuing fulfillment of the kingdom of God spreading throughout the earth. This is something that all those of the Old Testament longed to see. As God fulfills the call He has placed on our lives we shall be privileged to see more and more of the kingdom of God appear all around us.