I have just returned from a very long overdue trip to New Zealand. It has actually been close to 15 years since I was last in my home country.

My sister and family have visited me in the States twice during that time, so it was certainly my turn to make the trip. The original plan was to make this trip at Christmas time when it is summer over there.

However, this did not work out, so I opted for May when the New Zealand weather hopefully would not be too cold. My sister had several weeks vacation in May, so it would work out well.

Of course there were a lot of changes around the city of Christchurch, which I originally left back in 1976. Lots of progress and new things to discover as well as old things to rediscover.

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One of the interesting studies I like to do from the Bible is to follow the records of God’s call to many of the personalities who appear in this library of books (known as the Holy Bible).

One of these significant records is that of the Call of Jeremiah. Here is an outline of the call of Jeremiah. I am sure you can identify with some of these stages that Jeremiah went through.

God knows that you and I are all capable of doing so much more than we are doing. After all He created us. God will always cause you to move outside of our comfort zone into a new height in your life.

Are you ready for an adventure?

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When God calls you, He has already made all the preparations necessary for you to succeed. Failing is never an option when you obey God’s call for your life.

Do you feel worthy of God’s call?
If you don’t feel worthy of God’s call on your life, you are not alone. Jeremiah was not exactly the ideal candidate to become a prophet to the nations. He did not seem to be a great candidate for success either.

Let’s face it, if you were to interviewing candidates for the position of a prophet to the nations, would you choose someone who by his own admission could not speak? (See Jeremiah 1:6 “… I do not know to speak for I am only a child”) I am sure you wouldn’t.

In fact, I am sure you would see him as weak, perhaps instable and not ready for the position that was open in your organization. No, according to man’s criteria, Jeremiah was not the ideal choice.

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When God calls you, it is always to do something that will probably seem impossible or too big for you. Remember, Jeremiah certainly thought that when he was confronted by an incredible task.

We can see his reaction when He said: “Ah, Sovereign LORD, I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” Jeremiah 1:6.

I have heard many Bible teachers responding to objections with the following argument: “Don’t worry, just respond to the call and the rest is up to God. Carrying out your calling does not depend on you, it all depends on God”

Well, that is only partly true. In fact, this concept taken by itself is close to a fallacy. A few years ago church went through a phase where in some circles almost all you heard was “believe it, confess it and you will have it”.

But there is a BIG missing ingredient in this theory This missing ingredient actually turns these theories into dangerous proclamations that have hurt many people who tried to follow them.

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Remember that the prophet Jeremiah was called to do the impossible (see post Called to Do The Impossible). At least it was impossible for him. When God appeared to him saying that He had called him to be a prophet to the nations, Jeremiah’s response was:

“Ah, Sovereign LORD I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” (Jeremiah 1:6)

History reveals that he was probably quite young, but here he was focusing on his inadequacy more than on his age. His age was an excuse. He was simply saying “What? It’s too big for me, I can’t do that”.

I remember being called into my boss’s office after I had submitted my resignation in the Education Board of New Zealand.

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