Daily Verse Devo - Jeremiah 1:7-8

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.”

-Jeremiah 1:7-8 (ESV)

In this chapter, God calls Jeremiah to be a prophet. Before he was even born, God had this purpose in mind for Jeremiah.

Jeremiah's response was an excuse. He basically said, "I don't know what to say. I'm too young."

Yet, God told Jeremiah not to use that excuse. God promised to go with him and to give him the words to say.

Have you ever felt too young or inexperienced to do something?

In general, preparation and experience are good. But when it comes to following God, faith matters so much more. God had a plan for Jeremiah from the beginning. No matter how unqualified Jeremiah felt at that moment, God was calling him right then.

It can be tempting to think that God doesn't really have a purpose for us until we graduate and land the perfect job or have the best family. But, that's just not true.

God may have different plans for your life at age 30 than at 19, but that doesn't mean that you don't have a purpose until age x.

In 1 Timothy 4:12 (ESV), Paul tells the young preacher Timothy, "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."

Right now, we can be a Christlike example to others and faithfully serve God while we're young. God wanted to use Jeremiah right where He was and He'll use us right where we are to accomplish His purposes.

#youth #purpose #calling