Our readings this week are from Jeremiah and Luke and both readings show us that God's call is not limited by age, or any other factor. God calls upon anyone, and everyone regardless of age, station in life, man or woman. The readings also show us how difficult it can be to fulfill the will of God among our fellow man, and how God provides strength and protection for us to be able to do what He asks of us.
Poor Jeremiah...he was a young boy and God was asking him to do so much...to be a prophet to all the nations of the world! That is huge. And Jeremiah fearfully pleaded with God that he was too
young, he wouldn't know what to say, or what to do and he was so scared! But God told him not to worry that He would be with him and make Jeremiah as strong as iron and bronze and God would save him from the people who tried to hurt him. A young boy with a big calling. It doesn't seem possible, but all things are possible with God.
Jesus was in the same position as Jeremiah, basically. Jesus is supposed to tell, and show, everyone how he came to fulfill the prophesies written about Him. In his own home town no one believes him! They want to throw him off a cliff! No one wants to believe that this carpenter's son is the Christ. They knew Jesus as a boy...he wasn't special in their eyes...who was he trying to fool now saying he was the Messiah? It is so hard for people,for US, to have faith. Jesus taught us that we could tell a mountain to move and it would do it if ONLY we had faith the size of a mustard seed. A mustard seed is really, really small.
We say that we believe that all things are possible through Jesus Christ. There is an interesting comment in the sidebar on page 73 of our leadership guides. It says, "Jesus can do all things if we believe. Sometimes our lack of faith keeps Jesus from doing all he would like to do for us." That hits home with me and I hope it does with you too. I can think of so many times I have asked for His guidance, or mercy, or strength...and I can tell you I didn't have 100% faith that He would do this for me. I believe it was because I do not think I "deserved" it not that He couldn't provide it. I have to change my way of thinking. Jesus did not die for us because we "deserved" His sacrifice. We did not do anything to earn it and we still don't. By definition that is what MERCY is: forgiveness or kindness given where it is not earned or deserved.
If we increase our faith even as much as a mustard seed then nothing is impossible. If we believe that Jesus is God and man, the Son of God, and we believe what He taught us, and we love as he taught us to, and we forgive not because someone deserves our forgiveness but because we are counting on forgiveness from God through Jesus' sacrifice which we do not deserve. It is not fair to expect or even hope for forgiveness for ourselves if we cannot offer that same mercy to someone else.
We can do whatever God calls us to do with total faith that He will provide what we need to do His will. We would not be allowed to fail in doing God's will. Old or young we are all called to do the will of God and we need to be prepared to answer that call when it comes with faith and love and a willingness to sacrifice our own will for the will of God.
The Psalm this week is Psalm 71: I Will Sing of Your Salvation. It's awesome!
Have a blessed week!