Promised Help
Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee. Jeremiah 1:17,19
Read Jeremiah 1:15-19
Jeremiah did not waver or ignore the directions given to him by the Lord. Initially, he had felt his insufficiency to be God’s mouthpiece; but, through the Lord’s strength and encouragement, he was made willing to perform God’s will. In our text the Lord encouraged him to arise and speak to the nation; he was not to be dismayed, for they would not prevail against him. The Lord would be with him. And that is the secret which enables people to remain steadfast. On this basis, Jeremiah was prepared to proclaim a message from God, even if it would cost him his life.
The Lord is still willing to give this to His people today; He is willing to sustain you and stand by your side in the face of adversity. Jeremiah knew that the message he was called to proclaim was not his own but the Lord’s.
Jehovah had sent him, so with holy boldness he was able to declare His message to the priests and false prophets. The Lord is still reliable today; you can find refuge in His Word. In Psalm 119 the question is raised: How shall a young man cleanse his way? The answer is given: By taking heed thereto according to thy word. This verse calls young people to pray, asking the Lord to guide your halting feet, that He would also show you the way you should go.
We see that Jeremiah, who was so hesitant to fulfill God’s will at first, later stood fast in the faith, waiting upon the Lord. May that become true of you, that with Martin Luther you will be enabled to declare: Here I stand; I can do no other. You will then be able to remain steadfast, irrespective of the consequences.
Thought: Do you think that it is risky to seek refuge in God’s Word? Are there situations at school or at work in your life which require you to stand completely alone?
Psalter 428: 3 (based on Psalm 119) O Lord, how shall a youth preserve his way, At every turn by vanity surrounded? In truth, if he Thy statutes will obey, If on Thy Word his attitudes are founded. Thou whom I’ve sought, O let me never stray, From Thy commandments, lest I be confounded.