I am with you

Then said I: "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth." But the LORD said to me: "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you," says the LORD. Then the LORD put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me: "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

– Isaiah 1.6-9

Jeremiah tried to find an excuse what he could not go. ‘Ah Lord, I cannot speak, I am only a child. You can’t expect me to do that!

That reminds me of Moses, but God had answers for both of them and He has answers for us as well when we don’t think that we can do it.

Let’s summarise in a simple list what God had to say:

Go to the people I send you to

Speak

Don’t be afraid

I am with you

I will deliver you

And then God put His words in Jeremiah’s mouth and said ‘there, I have given you my words.’

This was a particular promise to a particular man, but every one of these promises is made over and over again in the word of God to those God sends out for Him.

It is a scary thought to think about trying to speak for Christ and stand for Him in a world like we live in today. It seems like no one really cares. Few folks are even against God; most just don’t really want to hear about it.

The problem is, God has not changed our task. We still need to share the hope we have in Christ. Even those who don’t seem to care need to see and hear the love of Christ.

So in this we need not be afraid. We need to speak up with courage because God is with us just like He was with Jeremiah. We need to faith to step up and do it. He will give us the words to say if we just go.