Scripture – Jeremiah 1:4-10 NRSVUE
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%201%3A4-10%20&version=NRSVUE
4 Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.”
7 But the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a boy,’
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
and you shall speak whatever I command you.
8 Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.”
9 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me,
“Now I have put my words in your mouth.
10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to pull down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.”
From Rev. Heather Leffler
Psalm 139 has become one of my favourite Psalm. The assurance that God knows us from the moment of our conception and cares for us throughout our lives to our life beyond death is deeply comforting.
We don’t know how old Jeremiah was when God first spoke to him, but he saw himself as too young for the task. Many of us, regardless of age, would feel unprepared to speak God’s truth to power. Yet, God assured Jeremiah that he would not be alone—God would give him the words he needed.
Jesus offers us the same reassurance. His Spirit is with us, guiding, comforting, and protecting. What he asks of us is to listen—to be attentive to the Spirit’s voice—and to reach out in love. This love extends to those closest to us—our family, friends, and colleagues—as well as to our neighbors, strangers, and even those we consider enemies.
This call to love feels especially urgent when powerful voices seek to divide us. In such times, may we trust in God’s presence, listen to the Spirit, and choose love.
Contemplation and Conversation
When have you felt the Spirit prompting you to reach out in love to someone?
Prayer
Holy One, help us hear your Spirit’s call
and respond by speaking your word of love
in the face of those who seek to divide us. Amen. .
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