𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗨𝗣

• What is the most fantastical career you wanted as a teenager?

• Who is someone you look up to or see as a mentor?

• Is there a deeper calling you feel like you have beyond a career? What would you say your calling is?

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗

𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨, “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.” 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, “𝘈𝘩, 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘎𝘖𝘋! 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥, 𝘐 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩.” 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, “𝘋𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘺, ‘𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩’; 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘰, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬. 𝘋𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋.” 𝗝𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗔𝗛 𝟭:𝟰–𝟴

(Read also 𝗝𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗔𝗛 𝟭:𝟵–𝟭𝟬.)

Jeremiah was called to speak the word of the Lord to the people in Judah at a time of war and exile. The pressure on him, both to speak and not to speak, was heavy (Jeremiah 20). However, it was the Lord who knew Jeremiah and appointed him as a 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴—even before Jeremiah was born.

Both expectations and resistance were heavy on Jeremiah. If he listened to anyone but God, he might have been discouraged from his calling. However, he listened only to his Creator and His plan and purpose for his life. What does Jeremiah’s experience tell us about God’s involvement with the youth?

𝟭. 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵.

𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨, “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.” 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, “𝘈𝘩, 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘎𝘖𝘋! 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥, 𝘐 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩.” 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, “𝘋𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘺, ‘𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩’” . . . 𝗝𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗔𝗛 𝟭:𝟰–𝟳

Jeremiah was called by the Lord to speak for Him. However, Jeremiah worried about his capability to speak, because he was still young. The Lord responded that Jeremiah’s youth did not disqualify him or should not hinder him from speaking. After all, it was the Lord who had called Jeremiah and set a purpose for his life. Was there ever a time you felt like age or your life stage held you back from God’s calling for your life? How did God empower you to fulfill His calling?

𝟮. 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗺 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻.

“. . . 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘰, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬. . . . 𝘚𝘦𝘦, 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘴, 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯, 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘸, 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵.” 𝗝𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗔𝗛 𝟭:𝟳, 𝟭𝟬

God does not only empower youth, He calls them to a mission beyond themselves. Jeremiah was called to go to those he was sent to and to speak whatever God commanded him to speak. As he walked with God, he lived out his part in God’s plan and purpose even for the nation. He became a brave herald of God’s truth, proclaiming boldly God’s message to His people and encouraging them to turn back to Him. What do you believe is the mission God has called you to fulfill? How can you make Him known as you pursue Him and fulfill your purpose?

𝟯. 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝘀 𝗛𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.

“𝘋𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋.” 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, “𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥, 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩.” 𝗝𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗔𝗛 𝟭:𝟴–𝟵

Jeremiah knew that following God’s calling would not be the easiest decision. He may even have been afraid of those who would question or discourage him. However, the Lord was with Jeremiah. He gave Jeremiah the words to say, and assured Jeremiah of His presence. When God calls us, He also gives us what we need to fulfill His mission. How have you experienced God’s presence and equipping for the mission He called you to?

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

• God knows and appoints us to a calling even before birth. How does this affect how you see your own family background and childhood? How will it affect the way you see others, especially those younger than you?

• How can you seek deeper insight and direction about your calling with the Lord? What is one thing you can do to move in step with the Lord today?

• Following your calling may not always make sense to others. How can you help those around you understand God’s calling in your life? How will you also help the next generation seek God and pursue His calling in their lives?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥

• Thank God for calling and empowering you to a greater purpose in life with Him.

• Pray that God will deepen your understanding and insight into your calling as you walk with Him every day. Pray for His presence and peace to be with you as you continue to obey Him.

• Pray for the next generation. Ask Him to bless them with courage, strength, and wisdom as they walk in His purpose and with His presence.