Not because we are able, but because He is.
The book of Jeremiah introduces us to a prophet who serves God in a very difficult and tumultuous time. God knows the tough job He is assigning this young man, and in the first chapter of this book, He acknowledges this, but tells the chosen one “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.Before you were born, I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5. Imagine yourself in his shoes. Would you be eager to dive into whatever God had planned? God continues, though to reassure him. He counters Jeremiah’s objections with encouragement. “you shall go to all I send you, and whatever I command you will speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you.” verses 7-8. I love the gentle and reassuring tone of this chapter, and I think Jeremiah must have recalled it when his assignments became tough. These days, I wonder how I might still be of use to God, given my physical limitations. But, I am trudging on, watching for ways to reflect His glory to all I come in contact with.
My morning devotional in Paul David Tripp’s Everyday Gospel sums it up well. “Each of us is a bundle of weaknesses held together by divine grace. God calls us not because we are able, but because He is.”
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