Do you feel as though you were destined for some kind of role or responsibility in this life? Whether it might be as caregiver, engineer, leader, athlete, parent or some other? What was it that reinforced that feeling? Jeremiah writes about his experience of being identified by God for a specific role:
1:4 This is what God said:
5 “Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you.
Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you:
A prophet to the nations—that’s what I had in mind for you.”
6 But I said, “Hold it, Master God! Look at me. I don’t know anything. I’m only a boy!”
7-8 God told me, “Don’t say, ‘I’m only a boy.’ I’ll tell you where to go and you’ll go there.
I’ll tell you what to say and you’ll say it. Don’t be afraid of a soul.
I’ll be right there, looking after you.” God’s Decree.
The Message Version
This is the story of Jeremiah’s anointing as a prophet some thirty years prior to the exile of the Jew’s of Judah to Babylon. How would you feel if you were in Jeremiah’s place? What words particularly catch your attention?
• How intimately does God know us, do you feel personally formed by God’s hands – God’s handiwork? Do you feel similarly about all human beings? How about all of creation?
• Do you think that God has a plan for us as we are being formed in the womb? How much does God have to do with the path our lives take? Where is God in the paths that evildoers take?
• After God issues this charge to Jeremiah he reacts with the words in verse 6. How would you characterize his response? Are resistance and doubt unusual when considering taking on a responsibility?
• What is the difference between those responsibilities in the church (and elsewhere) you have accepted and those you resisted? What made the difference when you overcame resistance and accepted?
• What would have been your reaction to God’s response in verse 7 if you were Jeremiah? Would you feel confidence, trepidation, or even servile? How did you feel when you overcame your doubts about being able to do something?
• How do you think that the assurance of verse 7 actually works out in real life? How were God’s directions and words transmitted through Jeremiah? Is Jeremiah a robot?
• When have you done something that you felt was done with God’s presence? How did that presence come into play in the actions and words you used?
God revels the nature of the job to Jeremiah:
9-10 God reached out, touched my mouth, and said, “Look! I’ve just put my words in your mouth—hand-delivered!
See what I’ve done? I’ve given you a job to do among nations and governments—a red-letter day! Your job is to pull up and tear down, take apart and demolish,
And then start over, building and planting.”
The Message Version
• The touching in verse 9 might be more substantive as the word touch can be translated strike. Do you know of people who have seemed to have the Lord’s words in their mouths on occasion? What kind of messages did they deliver; assurance, inspiration, warning?
• Jeremiah was to speak words people did not want to hear, unpopular words. Who can you think of who has spoken these kinds of words that really needed to be heard? What were the various reactions? Can you think of messages being spoken today which are unpopular to some but need to be heard – and acted upon?
• What is a red letter day? How important is the work that Jeremiah is called to do?
• What kind of responsibilities does verse 10 tell us Jeremiah will have? God wants both demolition and rebuilding; is one easier than the other? Must demolition many time precede effective building? Can you think of times when this was true? Is it hard to let go, forget, reject? What are some ways that we can be convinced to do this? How might our spiritual lives play into our ability to both successfully tear down and rebuild?
• In the recent past we discussed spiritual gifts which are to come to us on our rebirth as Christians:
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
1 Corinthians 12:4-7
• How do you think that this call to us compares with Jeremiah’s call? What are some similarities and differences? Will confidence in the presence of spiritual gifts help us overcome our inertia, change and build?
Closing Litany
Where can I go from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning
and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me fast.
Amen
Next Week’s Lectionary Scriptures: Exodus 34:29-35, Psalm 99, 2 Corinthians 3:12 - 4:2, Luke 9:28-36, (37-43)
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