Jeremiah 1:17-19 – Empowered to serve

At the start of the book, we saw how Jeremiah responded to God’s call to ministry with reluctance. He felt he was too young and inadequate to be a good spokesman.  And we also saw how God helped him to refocus. He was redirected from looking at his personal inadequacy to the commission, he was called to fulfill. God commanded him to speak His word wherever He would send him (Jeremiah 1:1-10). 

Hence in Jeremiah 1:17-19, alongside the second vision of the boiling pot tilting away from the north, God admonished him to be courageous. Jeremiah was to gird up his loins and arise and speak to God’s people as he was commanded.  The prophet was admonished not to be terrified before them or God would allow his fear to unnerve him. He was to do the work of God without fear.

 

God then assured him that He would empower him, and give him fortitude and determination. He was promised triple protection. God would make him like “a fortified city, a pillar of iron and a bronze wall.” As a fortified city, he would be impregnable; as an iron pillar, he would be indestructible; and as a bronze wall, he would be impenetrable. Simply put, Jeremiah would be unshakable before his opposers.  

 

Though the kings, priests, and officials would all oppose and come against him; even the people he worked with him would turn against him, but they would not be able to overcome him. For God, Himself would empower him with His presence and power.   Then like the reticent Joshua was told years ago before he took over Moses’ leadership, God assured Jeremiah that He would be with Him. He said to him in verse 19 “I am with you to deliver you.” In other words, God’s presence will always be with him to deliver him. 

 

As Christians, we know that this assurance is not to Jeremiah alone, but also to all of us who bear the name of Christ. And we must not be intimidated by people who may oppose our ministry, our God, and our message. Know that we are not in the business of gaining popularity and winning the applause of man. We are here to advance God’s Kingdom. He not only qualifies our calls but also empowers us for service. Our equipping comes from Him. As Billy Graham said, “The will of God will never take us where His grace cannot sustain us.”  

 

Be encouraged by two stanzas of Margaret Mulling’s poem entitled, Empowered to Serve:  

 

Empowered to serve,
With humility and Grace.
Elegantly standing completely,
Adorned in the Father’s Armor.

No foe can disarm,
Nor conqueror  the one,
Empowered to serve.
For the gates of hell,
Shall not prevail!