Jeremiah 1:4-10
This is what God said:
“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.”
But I said, “Hold it, Master God! Look at me. I don’t know anything. I’m only a boy!”
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. Don’t be afraid of a soul. I’ll be right there, looking after you.” God’s Decree.
God reached out, touched my mouth, and said, “Look! I’ve just put my words in your mouth—hand-delivered! 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.”
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
One of the earliest lessons we teach our children is how to speak and do things for themselves. Timothy will say to me, “I want Uncle Greg to come downstairs and see what I built with blocks.” For a long time, he was not permitted to go upstairs alone, because we were afraid he would fall on the steps. Now he is big enough to go up and down independently. Still, when I tell him to go and ask his Uncle Greg to come and have a look, he sometimes says, “But I can’t!” When I either ignore this or remind him that he can indeed do it himself, he usually decides to go alone to summon his uncle. Sometimes he will ask, “Come with me?” And I will usually oblige. My point is not to make him do things by himself as much as to teach him that he is developing capabilities for accomplishing new things.
We will start to walk somewhere together, and Timothy will say, “Carry me!” I often remind him that he is a big boy – almost too big now for me to carry – that he is perfectly capable of walking. Sometimes, he will come back with… “But I’m too little… I’m just a little boy!” And I have to laugh at this ploy for my sympathies and concession. This is exactly what Jeremiah said to God. But God had equipped Jeremiah for these tasks and knew his capabilities – and He was not buying this excuse for one minute!
If we are truly serving God, there will be plenty of times when we feel inadequate to accomplish what He has called us to do – in our own strength and wisdom. We will want to throw up our hands and say, “But I am too young/old/poor/sick… I’m not smart enough… I don’t have time… I don’t have any talent for this. But with God, all things are possible. He has equipped us to do far beyond what we ever dreamed possible. And it is time for us to realize just how ridiculous our excuses must sound to Him.
God has called me to do several things in even the last few months that I would never have dreamed were possible. There is no way I could have accomplished many of them under my own power… or even with the help of my husband, family members, friends and acquaintances. There have been too many instances where I had to stop and say, “Only God can get this done.” And I will admit… there were a few times when I wanted to throw up my hands and say, “But wait! I’m only human…I’m not strong enough… this is too hard… there is NO WAY this can ever work… I am ‘just a boy!’” And yet, God has proven to me over and again that HIS power and purpose far exceed mine. With God behind me (and beside me), I can do far more than I ever expected!
So what is God calling you to do today that seems daunting and/or impossible? Where is He sending you and equipping you to serve, even though you feel anything but adequate for the task? What is your excuse for turning Him down… and have you considered how preposterous you seem to Him for doing so? Will this be the day you step up and out - and ask, “Where, when and how, LORD?” instead of merely “Why me?” Or will you leave Him shaking His head in disappointment as you offer yet another argument as you try to justify your hesitance or refusal?
Do you really believe in the power of God to do all things? Are you confident that He formed you for His purposes… that He will equip you to handle anything and everything to which He calls you? Isn’t it time to tear down the walls of insecurity, uncertainty, and excuses… to allow God to work in and through you? Are you ready to build and plant wherever God sends you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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