God's Timing: Part II

 ⁵"Before I shaped you in the womb,
   I knew all about you.
Before you saw the light of day,
   I had holy plans for you:
A prophet to the nations—
   that's what I had in mind for you."
 ⁶But I said, "Hold it, Master God! Look at me.
   I don't know anything. I'm only a boy!"
 ^7-8God told me, "Don't say, 'I'm only a boy.'
   I'll tell you where to go and you'll go there.
I'll tell you what to say and you'll say it.
   Don't be afraid of a soul.
I'll be right there, looking after you."
   God's Decree.

 ^11-12God's Message came to me: "What do you see, Jeremiah?"
   I said, "A walking stick—that's all."
And God said, "Good eyes! I'm sticking with you.
   I'll make every word I give you come true."
Jeremiah 1: 5-8 and 11-12

Yesterday I shared with you in great detail what it was like to grow up with a stuttering problem.  I hope I didn't belabor the issue, but I felt I had to share that with you to give you an idea of where the thoughts I had about myself came from, and why they still try to take dominion over me to this day.  Let's move on.

God knew I'd stutter.  He says in the passage above the before He shaped me in my mothers womb, He knew all about me.  So before I was anything ... before I was even a thought in my mothers head, God knew all about me.  All?  Like ... everything?  You knew I'd be six feet tall (on a good day)?  You knew I'd have dark brown hair, and the strangest color of brownish goldish hazelish eyes?  You knew I'd be a slow runner, a quick thinker, and a willing listener?  You even knew I'd stutter?  I think He did.  I mean, the last time I checked, all meant 'all' ... everything.

Before I saw the light of day, He had 'holy plans' for me.  Wow ... while I was still in my mother's womb, God had a plan for me.  Well God, if you've known for that long, would it be that hard to clue me in on some of it?  Do I have to keep walking through this life, making mistake after mistake?  I mean, you've known now for at least 41 years, maybe longer, what the plan was for my life ... throw me a bone here God.  Maybe give me a crumb off the table ... anything.  I can't help but to wonder at times how much of what I've gone through was part of God's plan for me, or if it was a result of me making some bad choices?  Remember what I said yesterday though, that God works all things together for the good for those who love Him, and who are called according to His purpose.  He can fix our mistakes.

Mistakes.  We all make them.  Some are minor ... petty.  Some are life altering.  I know in my life, my abrasive, get-things-done attitude has caused me to make some mistakes.  I've said the wrong thing time and and time again.  I've pursued the wrong opportunity a few times.  I skipped too many classes in college, I experimented with too many drugs, and I consumed too much alcohol.  I've embraced the wrong people, and alienated the right ones.  I've definitely made mistakes.  Maybe you have as well.  Maybe you married the wrong person, or pursued a career that was wrong for you, or said something to one of your children that never should have been uttered.  It doesn't matter.  I'm convinced that God doesn't have a rear view mirror ... only we do.  I'm the master at looking back over my life and focusing on all I've said or done wrong.  God is the MASTER at forgetting all of that, if only we're bold enough to ask Him too.  So when God says to you that He as a plan for you, a job for you to do, don't look at up Him and make excuses as to why you can't do it because you look at yourself through your own eyes.  Jeremiah told God "Hold it, look at me.  I don't know anything.  I'm only a boy!"  Can't you see who I am?  Don't you remember the things I've said, and done?  God, there is no way I can do that.  There is no way someone like me can pull that off.  I've failed so many times, why would you ask me to do that again?

God doesn't see that though.  He doesn't look at us through our eyes.  He sees what we can be, and promises to help us achieve it.  "I'll tell you where to go and you'll go there.  I'll tell you what to say and you'll say it.  Don't be afraid of a soul.  I'll be right there, looking after you."

I write this today for me as much as anyone.  I'm at a place in life where I'm wondering what the next step is.  For many months now I've tried to find a job in the career field I spent the last 16 years in with no success.  I've applied for related jobs (some closely related, some not) with no success.  I consider myself to be an able, willing person, who still has a sharp mind and initiative ... but so far, no one else has seen that, at least not enough to hire me.  However, what my wife and I have committed to do is to go where God wants us go, and to do whatever He calls us to do.  I needed to read this verse today because I needed to be reminded that God is right here, and that He's still looking out for me.  He promised it.  He decreed it.

As He did with Jeremiah, God may ask us questions from time to time.  He may ask us to look at our situation, and tell Him what we see.  His response to Jeremiah ...  "Good eyes!  I'm sticking with you.  I'll make every word I give you come true."  I personally don't like speaking in absolutes, but I'm glad that God does.  So the same God who promised that all things work together for the good has also promised that He'll make every word He gives to us come true?  I believe He will ... in His time.

I'll continue examining and exploring the life of Jeremiah.  He was considered to be one of the major Prophets, yet he felt ill-equipped from the start, and from what scholars say, suffered from depression.  He just might be a guy I can relate to.  I hope you'll stay with me for the next few days while we learn more about him.  Thank you and God bless you.