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A Larger Vision
(8/12)
“Do not say ‘I am only a boy,’ for you shall go to whomever I send you, and you shall speak whatever I say to you. Do not be afraid, for I am with you to deliver you.” (Jeremiah 1:7-8; read Jeremiah 1: 1-10)
Jeremiah does not feel up to the task that God has called him to. The job is so large and his resources so meager. Or, as the sailor’s prayer goes, “My boat is so small and the sea is so wide.” He wants to give up, but God has something else in mind. God sees the heart and God’s knows our gifts and possibilities. God is aware of the treasures within our lives that are often hidden from us. Instead of retrenching, and taking responsibilities away from him, God calls him to something more than he anticipated.
Yes, Jeremiah is the youngest and least experienced of the religious leadership. But God does not look at age, gender, sexuality, race, or apparent ability. God looks for the right person at the right time for the right vocation. And, that could be you.
Don’t say you can’t do something for God and the world! Look deeper, discover where God is already working in your life. Discover the gifts you use every day and your unique personality, life experiences, and situation. Where can you do something beautiful for God?
A child’s five loaves and two fish can feed a multitude. Elders like Abraham and Sarah can give birth to a nation. Failures like Moses can become national leaders. Cowards like Peter can become heroes of faith. Enemies like Paul can be transformed and then help shape the Jesus movement.
When we open to God’s gifts in our lives and the world, God will provide us with more than we can ask or imagine, and even sheltering in place, we can do God’s will, bringing beauty in the circles of relationships around us.
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Loving God, use our lives and our gifts. Show us a larger world than we had imagined. Reveal deeper possibilities to us so that our mustard seed faith and small gifts can bring forth great harvests of love. Amen.
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