Destined to Prophesy

God Loves Us
God's Pervasive and Sustaining Love

God's Love for Nineveh

Jeremiah 1:4-10 The Message

Demolish, and Then Start Over

1 1-4 The Message of Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah of the family of priests who lived in Anathoth in the country of Benjamin. God’s Message began to come to him during the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amos reigned over Judah. It continued to come to him during the time Jehoiakim son of Josiah reigned over Judah. And it continued to come to him clear down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah over Judah, the year that Jerusalem was taken into exile. This is what God said:
5 “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.”
6 But I said, “Hold it, Master God! Look at me.
    I don’t know anything. I’m only a boy!”
7-8 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.
9-10 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.”

For Reflection

Many who receive God's call are relucent to obey. God's call to Jeremiah elicited a similar response. Jeremiah was invited into risky business.  After all, if some wise guy, a kid, came to tear down the business you have built, and upon which your household depends for its survival, what do you think your response would be?

God wipes Jeremiah's fear and reticence away by revealing God's intimate knowledge of him and God's special place for him in God's plan.  God not only assures Jeremiah of his competence, but God also vows to protect him and embeds the prophetic script into Jeremiah's soul. The old must die before the new begins. Jeremiah's task is to see that the new life in the promise of God arises out of the ashes of old ways which were rendered infertile. 

With God, the fear of destruction is displaced by the hope of renewal. The promise of life replaces the fear of death.

Pray

Pray that when you are besieged by turmoil, at your wit's end, your life is collapsing around you, and that which defines you is erased, you will look for God to bless you with a new life. Pray that you will be ready to accept that blessing.