Be Not Afraid Pt. 2

Today, we continue our examination of the biblical account written in the book of Jeremiah. We consider the exchange of dialogue between Jeremiah, then a teenager, and the Almighty God. What we discover is that with God and by God all things are possible regardless of age. We resume our discussion of lessons learned from this historic account.

I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations. But I protested, “oh no Lord, God! Look, I don’t know how to speak since I am only a youth.” Then the Lord said to me: do not say, “I am only a youth,” for you will go to everyone I send you to and speak whatever I tell you. Do not be afraid of anyone, for I will be with you to deliver you. Then the Lord reached out His hand, touched my mouth…” Jeremiah 1: 5-9

In the passage, it is evident that God was not giving Jeremiah any wiggle room. He was not entertaining any of Jeremiah’s objections or fears however valid they might have been. God needed someone of integrity to minister to the people of God. He needed someone who was teachable and obedient. He needed the right person for the job. Clearly, that person was Jeremiah. With the excuses out of the way, God proceeds to tell Jeremiah what his purpose entailed. He was specific about His directives: you will go where I send you and say what I tell you. Lesson 4: God will give you direction about your purpose. He will be specific and to the point. He may not give you all the in-between aspects but He will reveal to you what you need to know when you need to know it. You have to be teachable and obedient.

Next, God gets firm with Jeremiah. As a parent, I can relate to this type of tough love. Sometimes, you have to exercise love by being firm with loved ones. If we allow our family or friends to give up or make hasty decisions without calling them on the carpet about it, then we fail to act in their best interest. According to Satya, we must avoid speaking falsehoods. If we allow them to quit at the first sign of hardship, they’ll never fulfill their purpose or operate in their full potential.

God told Jeremiah: do not be afraid of anyone. I imagine God looked Him square in the eye and spoke firmly. He knew Jeremiah was still a kid. But He also knew that Jeremiah had a purpose to fulfill. Lesson 5: tough love is not designed to break us. It is designed to propel us. Each of us has a purpose to carry out. God loves us enough to hold us accountable and to exercise tough love at strategic times. In the end, Jeremiah went on to fulfill his purpose and operate in the fullness of God’s prophetic anointing.

 

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