READING: Isaiah 63-66, Jeremiah 1
I am convinced that almost 50 years ago, the Lord called me to preach. I cannot explain how it happened, but I know what I heard in my mind and heart: “I want you to preach my word.” I had not been raised in church. To my knowledge, no one had been praying for me to become a preacher. In fact, I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a “calling” to do this work. I simply knew something had happened to me – and I cannot number the many times I’ve returned to that call in tough times since then.
It’s Jeremiah’s call in the first chapter of his book that makes me think about calling today. What’s striking to me is what God said about His knowledge of Jeremiah even before he was born: “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” (Jer 1:4-5). It’s hard to deny the powerful sovereignty of God in these texts that clearly show God’s call on Jeremiah’s life even before the prophet was born. God knew everything about Jeremiah—including his sin and his struggles—and still He called him to proclaim His message. Jeremiah may have protested God’s choice of him, but he could not deny His call.
How grateful I am today for a God who calls us to His work even when we’re hardly deserving!
PRAYER: “God, Your grace amazes me even more today.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Jeremiah 2-4