Thought for the Day - Monday 24 August

 

Thought for the Day – Monday 24^th August

‘The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” 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. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.’ (Jeremiah 1: 4-8)

 

Have you ever looked around you and thought to yourself ‘I wish my faith was as strong as that persons’ or ‘Oh! How much easier it would be to serve God if I had as much faith as them’ or indeed ‘How much clearer would my path be for me if I had faith such as they do!’

 

I am sure, at times, we have all felt like this – I know I certainly did when I was trying to discern God’s call on my life to make that move from teaching to ministry and I know many of my colleagues speak of having similar feelings.

 

We often look to Biblical characters and think ‘What I would give to have faith such as Moses or Elijah or Samuel or Isaiah or Jeremiah’!

 

Well, believe me, if you do feel like that at times, then you are not alone!

 

But, hang on just a minute!

 

Actually, when all of these people we now consider to be of great faith were initially called they were not that delighted about it! Almost every time God called someone their initial response was dismay not delight, panic not pleasure and fear not thanksgiving! Actually, it is hardly surprising they felt this way because when, with hindsight, you consider what God was asking them to do and the way he knew they would be received by folks when taking God’s word to them - who wouldn’t feel like that! I think most of us would have been daunted by the prospect of such a task and doing our utmost to try and get out of it!

 

We do all feel inadequate at times, we often feel what we are called to do is beyond us, we often think someone else is better equipped to do the job, but what we need to remember is that no matter how reluctant these people initially were, they did still answer God’s call and importantly God equipped them all for the job they had to do!

 

Life is not always the ‘easy street’ we hope it will be – we will at times be called by God to do difficult things and I know being human we may try to duck out of doing them! But we shouldn’t!

 

God calls us for a reason – he calls us because he knows we are capable of doing what he has asked of us and he also knows he can, and will, equip us for any task he calls us to do, he will give us the resources we need so that we can finish the task for him.

 

So, if we respond like those great people of faith before us we too will discover this to be true!

 

Prayer

 

Loving Lord,

You knew us and chose us before you even formed us in the womb. Encourage us to answer when you call and fill us with faith that willingly speaks your words, with hope that does not disappoint, with love that bears all things for your sake. May this be so until the day when we shall know you fully even as we are fully known by you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.