Jeremiah gets chosen

JEREMIAH   CHAPTER 1

Jeremiah was the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests from Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. The Lord gave messages to him during the 13th year of King Josiah's reign in Judah and continued to give him messages throughout the reign of King Jehoiakim and until the 11th year of King Zedekiah's reign in Judah. In that year the people of Jerusalem were taken away as captives.

Jeremiah tells of the message from God in which God says " I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world." But Jeremiah told the Lord that he was much too young to speak for God.

The Lord told him that he must go wherever he was sent and say whatever the Lord told him to say and not be afraid of the people because the Lord would care for him. Then the Lord touched Jeremiah's mouth and told him that he had put words in it. He told Jeremiah that he appointed him to stand up against nations and kingdoms. he was to uproot some and tear them down and destroy and overthrow them and to build others. Then the Lord asked Jeremiah what he saw, and he replied a branch from an almond tree. The Lord said the branch meant he was watching and would carry out threats of punishment.

Again the Lord asked Jeremiah what he saw. And Jeremiah answered he saw a pot of boiling water tipping from the north. The Lord said there would be terror from the north which would boil out on the people of the land. The Lord would call back armies of the kingdoms of the north to come to Jerusalem and they would set their thrones at the gates of the city. They would attack its walls and all the towns of Judah. He would pronounce judgment on the people for their sins and worshipping other gods.

God told Jeremiah to get up and go tell the people whatever he told him to say. He would be immune from their attacks and no kings or people of Judah could stand against Jeremiah because the Lord was taking care of him.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: The branch of the almond tree was chosen because was among the first to blossom in the spring. The boiling pot tipping pictured Babylon delivering God's scalding judgment on Jeremiah's people.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? The quote about God knowing Jeremiah before he was born or conceived, applies to each of us today. God planned you.He thinks of you as valuable and he has a purpose in mind for you.

Jeremiah was appointed as a spokesman.In our times, we are all spokesmen for our God. If God has given you a specific task to do, then do it with cheerfulness and diligence. Don't be afraid just because you are young and inexperienced.  However, God promised to be with Jeremiah and care for him, but he did not insulate him from trials. We will have life's storms, but God will see us through.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:



HEALTH: Pray for Gabe.


Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.


Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer and for her sister Wanda’s soul which went to heaven.


Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with a form of MS.


Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.


Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.


Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.


Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.


Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.


SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary


RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John


LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian


SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.