This is the Lord speaking to Jeremiah. These words provide us with some insights as to God’s method of encouraging and strengthening those he calls to serve him. The Lord is acutely aware of the trials and difficulties which his servants face. He knows all about the race they are running, the country they are passing through. Sometimes they do not know how serious their situation is until the Lord shows them. This was the case with Jeremiah. He was unaware of the plots against his life until the Lord revealed them to him. The Lord recognizes the frustration and the failure of his servants; he is aware of the times when they stumble and feel they cannot keep up. He deliberately chooses “the weak things of the world” (1 Cor. 1:27) and he understands the make-up of those whom he appointed before they were born (Jer. 1:5). And he never hides from them the tough times that lie ahead. The Lord encourages his servants to find strength for the future in himself. He honours them by counting on their faithfulness. That is the point of these questions which God asks Jeremiah. We do not hear his answer, but we know what it must have been: “ I will trust you and I know you will be with me, as you have promised, even when it means competing with horses and facing the thickets of Jordan.”
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 18:39:00 +0000