We listen to the Word of the Lord, addressed to us for our lives. What do we hear? God’s Word to Jeremiah issues a jarring call – set apart as a prophet to the nations. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart: I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah lived in a troubled time, much turmoil for Judah, with mighty nations seeking to control and destroy her, much wickedness within Judah, including idolatry, injustice, and reliance on political manipulation rather than on God. Jeremiah a prophet of God in such a time? A prophet to Judah? Overwhelming. A prophet to the nations? Impossible. Yet the Word of the Lord clearly tells him of his call to be a prophet. And God reveals that he has been set apart for this role even before he was born. He has been appointed and prepared all his life for this prophetic ministry. What a call indeed!
And your call? Not exactly like Jeremiah’s. Different historical situation. Different person. Different calling. Yet before God formed you in the womb, He knew you. He knew you with His tender love as Creator and with His forgiving love as Redeemer. Christ’s death and resurrection avails for you. And before you were born, He set you apart. That’s what “holy” means, set apart for God’s purposes. Baptized in the triune God, you have been set apart. He has called you in a sense as prophet, as one who “speaks forth” His Word in daily life, and yes, as proclaimer to the nations with a “making disciples of all nations” (see Matthew 28:19) scope. What a call, indeed!
PRAYER: Father, thank You for setting us apart as Your forgiven children. Help us to answer Your call as proclaimer of Jesus’ saving love to the nations. Amen.
(Devotions from “My Daily Devotion” by Dr. Stephen J. Carter, copyright 1988 CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time emailing of this link to a friend. For ordering information, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit www.cph.org.)