Oct. 3

Jeremiah 1

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
Do not say "I am only a child". 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.

Much like Moses and many others, Jeremiah didn't see himself as qualified to carry out the message God had given him to deliver. If we look at what God says though, God isn't sending Jeremiah because of his qualifications, He is sending Jeremiah because God appointed him way before he was even born.  With that appointment comes Gods guarantee for him not to be afraid because He will rescue him wherever God sends him.  So why should that command be any different for us?  As His sons and daughters He appointed us as prophets to the nations long before we were born. We have a message to deliver - His - and He will send us wherever He needs us to go.  This entire universe and everything in it is His by His design, that includes us. I can't speak for anyone else but I wrestle when God sends me places I don't want to go. When we face spiritual warfare because we are in unfamiliar territory that God has sent us to the only strength we have to draw on is His. We have to remember that in His sovereignty He has allowed it or appointed it.   Anything we need to do or say wherever we are will come to us through the power of His Holy Spirit that's why He tells us not to be afraid. We have to remember how well equipped we are in Christ.  We also read in Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God". If we are worrying, we aren't trusting.  For me, this reading came at a perfect time (not surprised).  What I have learned this week is that when God sends me somewhere and I don't understand, I'm afraid, and would prefer to be elsewhere the ONLY way to get through it is to pray, alone and with others. When we put this into practice, we equip ourselves to fight the battle and put ourselves in a position that allows God to rescue us. Although the circumstance might not change right away, His rescue begins with peace that surpasses understanding.  Today was a much better day for me.