Jeremiah 1:11-19

God’s Word is not an idle Word. He says what He means and means what He says. He does not waste words (see 14-16 and Isaiah 55:8-11). Everything happened as God had said (3b). God’s Word is to be taken seriously.

See the importance of seeing! – the importance of seeing what God wants to show you (12, 13). When you ‘see’ something in the Spirit, that revelation can change your life. We need to have the eyes in our hearts ‘’enlightened’’ so that we come to ‘’know’’ truth in a deep, life-changing way (Ephesians 1:18).

The ‘’boiling pot’’ Jeremiah saw (13-16) signified the ‘’northern kingdoms’’ including Babylon and her allies. They would be God’s instruments of judgment on Judah, because the people had turned away from Him to idols.

‘’Get yourself ready!’’ (17a). Preachers must prepare themselves. The preparation of the man (or woman) is essential, and not just the preparation of the message. Jeremiah knew from the outset that he had a tough assignment (18, 19). But he also knew that God was with him (8). Even so, he had to choose courage, when he must have felt the temptation to be afraid. There was so much at stake in his deciding to be brave against all the odds. He had to get himself ready for what lay ahead.

Just before preaching, my friend excused himself from the room and headed upstairs, saying, ‘’I’m going to talk to God about men before I go and talk to men about God!’

Someone said, ‘’He who has prayed well has studied well.’’ That is not to be used as an excuse for skimping on other parts of preparation. But it is to recognise that prayer is a vital part of preparing to bring God’s message to people.

Ajith Fernando, in his outstanding book, ‘Jesus driven ministry’, writes about how important it is to pray before preaching. At times you will have to say difficult things that people do not want to hear, so prepare yourself. I never feel that I’ve prayed enough before preaching a sermon. It is so essential to ‘’Get yourself ready!’’

If preachers are not faithful in delivering their message, they will pay a price for their failure of fidelity (17b). ‘’But you – stand up on your feet and get dressed for work! Stand up and say your piece. Say exactly what I tell you to say. Don’t pull your punches or I’ll pull you out of the lineup.’’ The Message.

So Jeremiah set out knowing that there would be trouble ahead. But what a promise he carried in his pocket with which to embark on his ministry (19). ‘’I’m making you as impregnable as a castle, Immovable as a steel post, solid as a concrete block wall. You’re a one-man defense system against this culture.’’ The Message.

Prayer: Please strengthen me dear Lord, so that I am not overcome by the culture, but I live as an overcomer in it.