Make No Excuses

“I chose you.” The first words God said to Jeremiah, recorded in Jeremiah 1:5, jump out at us. As Christians we often refer to our pursuit of God, but this statement reveals we aren’t the only ones doing the pursuing. God chooses people, and He chooses them to do seemingly impossible things.

When God called Jeremiah, he was young (probably a teenager), the son of a priest, loaded with insecurities, and receiving a mission from God. This wasn’t the reckless choice of an impulsive God. This was the call of a God who appointed Jeremiah to do His work before Jeremiah took his first breath. God is a planner, and He had plans for Jeremiah. Still, Jeremiah, like so many of us, tried to talk God out of the plan, but as we read in these verses, he didn’t get very far.

Essentially, God says to every follower of Christ, I have a plan, and you’re part of it. I’m calling you into an adventure. You’ll face obstacles and pitfalls. Whether you endure nights of sheer torment or enjoy days of magnificent joy, I’ll always have My eyes on you, and you don’t have to be afraid. Imagine what the church would be like if we really believed that. What if everyone in the body of Christ said yes to everything God asks of us?

We can’t know for sure, but I imagine our culture would undergo a transformation that would make it unrecognizable. But we can’t reach that point collectively if we as individuals push back against the things God asks of us. Let’s say yes to God and ask questions later. As Jeremiah’s life models, God prepares those He calls, and He will help us overcome any hesitancies we have about serving Him.

Think you’re not qualified to serve God? Watch “The March of the Unqualified” uploaded by IgniterMedia at youtube.com.