Who Me?

Jeremiah 1, Isaiah 6

Are You sure, God? Certainly You missed this one! Me? A leader?

Leaders are people like Moses, Joshua, David, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. Leaders are people like Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the Apostle Paul. Leaders! Do You get it? Not me! I am not like them!

I don’t want that kind of responsibility. I don’t want that kind of danger. I don’t want that kind of risk! I’ve watched Survivor! The leaders are the first ones voted off the island! Let me hide in the background. Let me coast a bit. I can keep a low profile. I can just hang out. I don’t have to lead! Surely, You don’t have to ask that much of me!

So, You’re Sovereign? What’s that mean?

You say You know best. You say that whom You call You equip. You say that You have called me to lead. Me? You have to be kidding! You missed this one, God. You have this decision all wrong. You have me confused with someone else! Surely, You are not calling me to be a leader!

Now that I think of it, I am not the only one to protest Your call to lead. Moses told You that Aaron was a better speaker, a better leader than himself. But Moses was wrong. David did not look like much of a king for Judah, prompting the prophet Samuel to remark that "Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart!" Elijah was so exhausted with leadership, that he asked You to kill him; but You did not answer that prayer. Jeremiah was so astonished at Your call that he tried to get out of it on the basis of his youth and inexperience. You responded by filling his mouth with Your words until Your message burned like a pent up fire in his bones. I guess we humans don’t have a very good track record of arguing with You when You call us to lead, do we?

I’ll make a deal with You. I will answer Your call if You will make me a promise. You have to promise to go with me. You have to promise to fill my mouth with Your words. You have to promise to perform miracles to help me to lead. You have to promise to go with me, to defend me, to fight my battles for me, and to be my Companion!

So, You can do that? Thanks, God. I feel like You are calling me to go out on a limb. Don’t cut it off behind me! Don’t fail me! I trust You that whom You call You will enable and empower to perform Your appointed task.

In the Name of the Sovereign God of the Universe,

Amen.