How does God start His day? By fortifying us and others as part of His Way. To strengthen speech and sharpen wit. To accomplish His Word’s fulfillment, bit by bit.

Jeremiah was called to be a prophet, to speak on God’s behalf, be part of the delivery of God’s Word, prophetic-style, to then be verified by events set forth, placed by God to fulfill. Prophets could deliver truth. Prophets pre-educated the people. Prophets and us can know the WHAT and WHY, and not worry about the HOW.

What can we learn from the life of prophets? KEEP MOVING. Gotta do God’s Work. (God said to Jeremiah: don’t be terrified by the people, or else I will terrify you.) Gotta worry less and live anyway. Got to stop worrying about the “Hows” and trust the “Whys” (Jeremiah had to trust and so do we). Serve the Lord and serve others with the understanding that we share LOVE because He LOVES.

I am not a prophet, never will try to be, but I try to share a gift of encouragement to re-publicize, re-advise, re-direct, and remind HOPE is renewable. HOPE is like Rudolph and his glowing nose through the fog, making a way more tolerable. Better yet a LIGHTHOUSE that warns and welcomes and weathers the storms to keep shining. Hope helps.

Jeremiah had bad news to share, but Good News too, that God was intervening, and even if it’s dark for a moment, God has a plan. Light will, Light does, Light did overcome the world. 

Just keep not being afraid or resigned, don’t worry about the HOW. Find those first words and actions God wants you to serve with. Like Jeremiah seeing an almond tree in a vision, as a “test test – 1-2-3 – can you hear me now” of the system, then getting the bigger picture description from God (big changes for Israel), let’s keep refocusing our own eyes on His Path.

They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,” says the Lord, “to deliver you.”

God IS with us. Keep the Hope. God is doing big things in His Plan. Keep faith in God. He IS the Holy How. Just be ready for the Holy When. 

Amen

………

Jeremiah 1:4-19

The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” – “I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied. The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.”

The word of the Lord came to me again: “What do you see?” – “I see a pot that is boiling,” I answered. “It is tilting toward us from the north.” The Lord said to me, “From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,” declares the Lord.

“Their kings will come and set up their thrones in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem; they will come against all her surrounding walls and against all the towns of Judah. I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made.

“Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.