God's Calling

Reading through Jeremiah can be tough.  My friend Steve says, it sounds like America.  A people, who are blessed by God.  Never really wanting to hear what God is saying, just what they want to hear.  I am amazed at how God sends a prophet to tell people what He already knows that they will not receive.  It must be frustrating.  But God is so faithful and so patient not only with Israel, but with us individually.

One striking scripture to me is Jeremiah 5:30-31-  "An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land.   The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and my people love to have it so."
 
Wow.  Not only is there a conspiracy of the leaders to lead in their own agenda's but the people would prefer it that way.  It reminds me of when God led and protected Israel, yet at one point decided they wanted to have a king (because every nation had one.)  We all think we know so much what is the right thing and what I am learning through these passages is to trust in God for His provision, His connections, His orchestration in my life instead of doing what "seems good in my eyes".

Jeremiah had a tough task to bringing a word to a people who needed to be confronted.  His calling by God is described as, "Behold I have put my words in your mouth.  See I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down.  To destroy and to throw down.  To build and to plant." 1:10.  Jeremiah had the fun fun fun job of confronting SOCIETY and to deal with it God simply instructs, "prepare yourself and arise and speak to them all that I command you.  Do not be dismayed before their faces, lest I dismay you before them.  For behold , I have made you this day...."1:17  This is the bottom line.  God called Jeremiah to bring His word.  To a rebellious people.  Not an assignment many of us would want, but when God calls, we are to remember that it is only for Him.

Psalm 118:6: "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?"  I love this mentality.  Man can actually do a lot to us.  Drop us in wells, dungeons, torture and even kill us...yet that is far better than having God dismay us before them.  Why?  "I have made you this day."  If we can get a revelation that our life is not our own, we can boldly and joyfully embrace the calling of God on our lives like the prophet.

We continue our Jeremiah readings this week with Thur:8-10; Fri 11-13; Sat 14-17.  Continue on 3 a day except for Sunday pause.


Peace,


Stuart