Devotional for Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Greetings in Christ,
We have all done it when we read the Bible. We read the stories of how God has worked in the lives of others as they have done great things or accomplished many great feats. We think those are special people who God has chosen to do great things, or at least we think we are not in the same category or league of the people who God has chosen. We think this could only happen to them or it was in the past and God would not do this today. We put those stories in our mind as something which could only happen in different circumstances, circumstances we would never find ourselves engaging.
Most of us look at ourselves as a person who is boring, or possibly not exciting enough to grab the attention of God for Him to choose us to engage in some special activity. We just are happy to be the person we are only looking just beyond our own ability thinking we are not capable of doing much. We settle for the normal life, whatever the normal life is, and we just live one day at a time, but we forget one thing, God does not choose the one can do great things on their own.
Jeremiah had this same thought when God spoke to him. Jeremiah was a young man when God called him to be a prophet, and if you understand the Jewish culture you did not get respect as a youth when you tried to give advice. It was the elderly and more educated man who was able to educate and give advice, because he was more seasoned in life. Jeremiah found out God did not care about what he did not know, but rather He wanted a willing young man.
“Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations. Then I said, Alas, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, because I am a youth. But the Lord said to me, Do not say, I am a youth, because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord. Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”
Jeremiah thought he was just a boring person who did not live an exciting enough life for God, and he never thought God would call him to do something for Him, but God proved him wrong.
As we read the stories in the Bible, we should not limit the ability of God to work in any person, but think it could even happen to us. We get caught up in the idea we are not special enough for God to work through us, but this is not the reality of how God works. God has to work through mankind for mankind to know God. Jesus told the people just how He thought everyone was important.
“Then His mother and His brothers arrived, and standing outside they sent word to Him and called Him. A crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him, Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You. Answering them, He said, Who are My mother and My brothers? Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He said, Behold My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.”
We all are called by God to do something great, tell our story to someone else. God works through everyone to reach everyone, and when we think we are not exciting enough for God to work through us, we limit His ability to work in us despite what we think is our weakness or inability. God’s grace covers many things and when He works through us He can give us the words to speak. We just have to be willing to let God work through us. We all are special in God’s eyes, and it is in His power we will be able to do great things.
“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength because of Your adversaries, to make the enemy and the revengeful cease.” Psalm 8:1-2
“Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.” Psalm 24:7-10
“Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of the mighty, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in holy array.” Psalm 29:1-2
Lord may we never forget we are special in Your eyes and want to work through us. May we never forget You can give us the words to speak so we can share our story. Amen
Blessings,
Mark Johnson
Psalm 8, 24, 29, 84; Jeremiah 1:1-10; 1 Corinthians 3:11-23; Mark 3:31-4:9