Monday 3 Feb 2014

Monday Reading: Jeremiah 1:4-10

Key Verse: Jeremiah 1:7
But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.

Devotion:
When I hear of someone who wants to be able to serve The Lord I usually do my best to encourage them into His service. I have learned that it is not just the people who have gone off to study at university that are qualified to serve God; it is God who chooses who He wants and not us trying to make a commitment that we have to live up to. When God chose Jeremiah it was not after Jeremiah had gone to study with scholars or after he had read the scriptures over and over again; God chose him when he was a young man and certainly did not feel up to the task.

We need to listen to God’s calling and act accordingly. Jeremiah’s first response, like Moses’ first response, was to say that he was not up to the task in hand! I certainly did not think that I was up to the job when I was called to serve as a youth minister but the more that I am able to serve Him, the more that I am able to see that it is not my understanding that has got me this far after fifteen years, but what God has taught me!

The first thing you may do is to panic! Then after that you will probably have many doubts and panic a bit more; but when you place your trust in God and allow Him to guide you, then you see the power of God at work. I can remember the first few weeks of teaching the youth and I would have to spend a long time sitting and reading God’s Word over and over again until it sunk in. There are still days when I need to spend a long time reading over particular verses which I know are important but which don’t seem to mean as much as I know they should… Those are the days when I am far too distracted by worldly things!

When we are able to listen to God with an open heart, we do find that He gives us enough understanding to be able to teach His Word in the way that He wants it done. I certainly do not count myself in any way like any of the scholars who know God’s Word, but I know that God does use me to reach people because I have seen many young people come to know Him over the years. I know I have not taught them all that they know because they each grow at their own pace, some far quicker than I. It is God at work!

Points to Ponder:
Do you feel lacking?

How could one book last so many years?