God's Personal Involvement

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The Calling and empowerment of God.

Jeremiah 1:4-10

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you.”

 

            In Jeremiah 1, we find an incredible statement about God’s involvement in our lives.  For the writers, God’s participation in our life begins even in the womb.  Contrary to the popular worldview that sees the unborn baby as a blob of issues that is not yet human, God sees the baby in the womb as a personal being with whom he is already involved and interacting to guide and develop the individual.  God treats the unborn as a human being with whom he has a personal relationship.  This is true not only of Jeremiah but all individuals.

The psalmist also recognized this when he stated in Psalm 139, saying, “For you formed my inward parts; you wove me in my mother’s womb.”  God’s involvement in our life begins at conception.  As our bodies are being developed, God is actively engaged in our life, molding and shaping our personalities, abilities, talents, and skills to accomplish his purpose for us.  From eternity past, even before God created the universe, he already knew us and had a plan for us.  Paul affirms this in Ephesians 1:3, “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before him.”  Even before he created the universe, God already knew us and had a purpose for our life.   God’s personal relationship and involvement with us began even in the whom.  The word “know” means more than just knowledge; it speaks of a personal connection.  God identifies and pursues a relationship with us from the moment of conception.  For God, we are not just a mass of cells; we are unique individuals he now treats as a person created in his image and formed by him for a specific task and purpose in life.  For Jeremiah, this divine plan meant that God appointed him a prophet to the nations.  

            Yet even as Jeremiah heard these words, he was overwhelmed with inadequacy.  How could he fulfill such tremendous responsibility since he was still young? It is estimated that Jeremiah was probably in his mid to late teens when God appeared to him.  With words that echo Moses’ objection in Exodus 4, Jeremiah affirms that he is inadequate for the task.  However, the problem is not his ability or lack of talent but his view of God.  God did not design us to live life on our strength and perform our ministry in our ability. Instead, he gives us what appears to be an impossible task.  However, the problem is that we often look at ourselves and our abilities rather than God’s ability.  If we look inward at ourselves, we will always be overwhelmed and feel inadequate, and fear will paralyze us.  But when we focus on God and his infinite power and wisdom, we can have confidence because he works through us.

            What do you see as you look at the circumstances you are facing and the challenges in front of you?  Do you see situations beyond your ability?  Do you become fearful because they seem overwhelming? Or do you look to the empowerment of god, who promises to achieve his purpose through you?

            

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