This morning Joe Schafer (our children's pastor at APC) led the Ministry School students in prayer. He did a fantastic job. During the prayer time he challenged the students to write down the "calling" that God had placed on their lives. He also challenged them from the 1st chapter of Jeremiah and talked about how God called Jeremiah and chose him before he was ever born. After God spoke, Jeremiah had objections because he didn't think he could be used by God. He had his doubts (just like most of us at times). God answered Jeremiah's doubts by saying,
"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 1:7-8)
Joe made the following 3 observations about God's challenge to Jeremiah:
1) Forget Your Excuses - God didn't let Jeremiah hide behind his excuses. He knew that would hinder his future. God doesn't want us to hide behind our excuses anymore either. It will hinder our future as well. Are there excuses that you're hiding behind that are preventing you from obeying God in a certain area of your life?
2) Remember What God Has Asked You To Do (Your "Calling") - God reminded Jeremiah that He had sent him. God had called him. Therefore God was going to "back" him and support him. Sometimes we need to remember the things that God has asked us to do, called us to do, or promises He has given us. Are we staying on track? Are we walking in obedience or have we forgot about those things? Maybe it's time to "dust off" a promise that God has given us a long time ago that we're no longer believing or hanging on to. God is reminding you today that He wants to bring those things to pass.
3) Nothing Is Impossible With God - God also reminded Jeremiah that his adequacy didn't lie in his own abilities, but rather in God's abilities. And remember, that NOTHING is impossible with God! Just like Jeremiah, we often have the tendency to live by what we CAN'T do instead of by what God CAN do. A good question to ask is, "What areas am I limiting God in my life?"