The daily lectionary reading for today’s date includes the calling of Jeremiah, which might be one of my favorite stories from scripture. I think maybe because, like so many who are called by God, Jeremiah doesn’t know if he’s enough for God. But God knows – he is.
Jeremiah 1:4-10
4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew[a] you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”
The Terrible “Too’s”
What excuses do we use to avoid God calling us? I know for me there were lots of “too’s”. I thought I was too young myself. Too different. Too much really. But God doesn’t see our “too’s”. God just sees us. God sees us for exactly who we are, who God created us to be. And to God – we’re not too much anything, we’re enough.
God calling
So what might God be calling you to? For me it was a calling to ministry as a pastor. But God is still calling me to serve in different ways. Maybe God is calling you to serve in some new way. Or maybe God is calling you to strengthen some work you’re doing. Maybe God is calling you to something scary but exciting and you’re not sure yet.
Sometimes I still find myself listing off the “too’s”, the excuses, but God continues to remind me through words like in Jeremiah that those excuses don’t matter.
God made me, made you, knows us through and through, and knows that we are enough for whatever God is calling us to. Thanks be to God!