Sunday, June 21

Jeremiah 20:7 (HCSB)

      You deceived me, LORD, and I was deceived.

      You seized me and prevailed.

      I am a laughingstock all the time;

      everyone ridicules me.

 

Ever felt this way? Ever felt that God had deceived you… maybe tricked you into doing something you really didn’t want to do? Don’t you wish you had Jeremiah’s email address? He felt that way too!

 

God had called Jeremiah to preach, but he had no idea how tough it was going to be! He had become the most despised man in all of Judea. He was God’s spokesman, and he was hated for his message. There was no way for him to win. This was not what Jeremiah had expected when he signed on… not what he expected at all!

 

And yet he could not help but fulfill his calling. He wanted to walk away, but he couldn’t. God’s call had a grasp on him, and He would not let go. Jeremiah couldn’t quit even when he wanted to.  He described God’s message as a “fire in his bones.” It was burning inside of him. He grew tired trying to hold it in. Finally he had to let it go—he had to proclaim it. But the results were always the same—nothing changed.

 

I heard an old, wise preacher say, “Don’t preach unless you can’t help it.” Another preacher put it like this: “If you can do anything else and be happy—do it!” Only preach if you have no other choice!

 

When God has truly called you to do something there are no options.