You’re Special, Just Like Everyone Else (Jeremiah 1-10)

A Few Thoughts to Consider

Do you tend to think too highly or too lowly of yourself?

Everyone tends to one side. We either think we’re much more capable than we are or beat ourselves up for things beyond our control. This brings us to the first chapter of Jeremiah. But before we get there, here is a little context.

The Book of Jeremiah is a prophetic text in the Old Testament that chronicles the messages, many of which are poetry, of the prophet Jeremiah to the people of Judah. The central theme of this book is a call for repentance and the warning of impending judgment due to Israel's unfaithfulness, along with the promise of eventual restoration and a new covenant. It is the longest prophetic scroll and the “introduction indicates that it came into being sometime after the fall of Jerusalem in 587 but that the scroll will refer to events going back over the preceding forty years.”^[1] Andrew Dearman writes, “The very fact that a book of Jeremiah is still being read after 2,500 years is evidence that it was intended to instruct later readers through its portrayal of past events and its predictions of God’s transforming moments to come.”^[2]

In Jeremiah 1-9, God calls Jeremiah to be a prophet, assuring him of divine protection. Jeremiah delivers stern messages to Judah, condemning their idolatry and unfaithfulness to God. He warns of impending disaster from the north as a consequence of their sins. Despite his pleas for repentance, the people remain stubborn, leading to God's pronouncements of judgment and lamentation over their fate. There is this constant tension Jeremiah faces. As Michael Brown writes, “The prophet is still a man and, as such, lives in the tension of feeling loyalty to his own race (‘Lord, don’t destroy them! They’re just sheep!’) and indignation over the offended holiness of his God (‘God’s name is being mocked and his laws scorned! How can this be?’).”^[3]

This brings us to Chapter 1, where Verse 5 says the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah and said, ⁵ “I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” This imagery is profound, and Goldingay notes,

Forming or shaping like a potter (see Jer 18) is an image for God’s original creation of the human and animal world (Gen 2:7–8; Ps 95:5; Isa 45:18) but also for his bringing each person into being (Pss 33:15; 94:9; 45:7; see Jer 10:16). In particular, it is an image for bringing into being someone with a specific role to play in his service (Isa 49:5) and an image for bringing Israel into being (Isa 44:2).^[4]

God sees where his people are and he raises up a man who will be just the voice they need to hear. This wasn’t a rash decision, but it was one God intended even before Jeremiah was born. When Jeremiah protests that he is too young, God responds by saying,

⁷ Do not say, “I am only a youth,”
for you will go to everyone I send you to
and speak whatever I tell you.
⁸ Do not be afraid of anyone,
for I will be with you to rescue you.
This is the Lord’s declaration.

On one hand, Jeremiah is one of the boldest prophets of God to have ever lived. Yet, on the other hand, he feels deeply unqualified. The only way he can do this is because God is with him.

Like Jeremiah, we, too, have been formed by God for a special purpose. God’s plans for us started before we were born, and they continue beyond this life. God isn’t just thinking about this present moment and all you will accomplish. He is thinking about shaping you into the person he wants you to be for all eternity. He has a role he intends only you to fulfill. In the words of Pastor Jim Halbert, “You’re special, just like everyone else.”

A Meditation to PRAY

Praise | Lord, I praise you for your omniscience and omnipotence. You knew me even before I was formed in the womb and set me apart for your divine purpose. Your knowledge and love for me are boundless and awe-inspiring. I am in awe of your unwavering presence and guidance in my life.

Release | I release my fears and doubts about my worth and purpose into your hands. I let go of any anxiety about my future, trusting that you have a plan for me, just as you had for Jeremiah. I relinquish control and surrender my worries, knowing that you hold my future securely.

Ask | I ask for your guidance and strength as I seek to fulfill the purpose you have set for me. Help me to hear your voice clearly and to follow your direction with courage and faith. Grant me the wisdom to understand your will and the perseverance to carry it out. Please fill me with the confidence and courage to step into the calling you have given me.

Yield | I yield to your will, Lord, and commit to embracing your calling on my life. I surrender my plans and ambitions, trusting that your plan is more perfect than anything I could conceive. Lead me, shape me, and use me according to your purpose. I submit my heart and life to you, eager to serve and follow your lead. Amen.

A Challenge to Act Like Christ