Jeremiah

Known by God

/ The Pastor

The following is tonight’s Liturgy of Repentance for our midweek Lenten worship service. The theme is the call of Jeremiah from Jeremiah 1:4-19. The very thought that God knew me before I knew myself is humbling and thus who am I to say, “God, You must have the wrong guy.” I am known.

I am known by You, for You formed me.
I am known by You, for You knit me together.
I am known by You, for You choose me before I knew myself.
I am known.
I am known by You, for You breathed life into my being.
I am known by You, for You appointed little ole me to serve You.
I am known by You…yet Jesus died for me, a sinner.
I am known.
And knowing me, You still have sent me, but yet I search for excuses.
I can’t speak.
I’m too young.
I’m too old.
I don’t know enough.
Are You sure You have the right person?
But YOU know me. You. God Almighty. Creator. Know…ME.
And You send me anyway.
You and You alone qualify me.
Oh God, I confess my faithlessness to You.
Oh God, I confess my fear to You.
Forgive me.
Oh Lord, my God, hear my cry: I repent…

God Chose Me

/ The Pastor / 1 Comment

God knew me even before I was a twinkle in my parent’s eyes.
God loves me even though it is my destiny to lay down and die.
God chose me even before my beautifully knit body was born.
God chose me even though I am lost and pitiful and so forlorn.

How can this be
That God needs me
To speak for thee
Of being free?

Really God, me?
Little ole me?
Can you not see,
I’m not brainy?

But none of that matters for you’re always with me, going on before.
Oh God, my God, You’re wonderful and therefore I will always adore.
Many will ridicule me and tell me that I should not speak of You.
But You are my Rock and my Refuge, and through Christ I am made anew.

Known

/ The Pastor / 1 Comment

Psalm 71:5–6 (ESV) ~ For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you.

Psalm 139:13–14 (ESV) ~ For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

Jeremiah 1:5 (ESV) ~ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

In Galatians chapter 4, the apostle Paul talks about not just KNOWING God but being KNOWN by God.

Wow, just reflect on those texts for a moment. You are KNOWN by God. You are KNOWN from the very moment your life began…in the womb. God KNEW you then and KNOWS you now. God has a purpose for your life. Scripture talks about our hairs being numbered. You are KNOWN better by God than you KNOW yourself.

God KNOWS your shortcomings. God KNOWS every skeleton you are trying to hide. God KNOWS every dark secret; every single sin. God KNOWS. The psalmist reflects in Psalm 139 that there is no where he can hide from God. Even darkness is as day to God. Nothing can conceal you.

You are KNOWN.

And it is because God KNOWS you that Jesus was born. It is because God KNOWS you that Jesus was crucified and raised for you. God KNOWS you yet offers forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

You are KNOWN

WOW!

Just think about THAT.

You are KNOWN by God…from the moment of conception. God formed you and wove you together. Everything is ordained by God. And why? Because you are precious. Life is precious. EVERY life is precious. And if it is important to God, then it ought to be important to you.

You are KNOWN
The unborn are KNOWN
ALL life is precious to God

The Pastor -|—

My Mouth, Your Words

/ The Pastor

Holy God,
as you touched Jeremiah’s mouth (Jeremiah 1:9)
and put in Your words,
touch my mouth
and give me Your words,
oh God,
that I may speak Your truth.
May I not venture out on my own
but only with Your blessing and guidance.
Touch my mouth and then and only then
with I dare to speak for You.
Amen.

The Pastor -|—

New Covenant

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

“The time is coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord.  [Jeremiah 31:31-32]

Loving God…

despite the fact that we have broken the old covenant over and over again you have made a new covenant with us.

Despite the fact that you KNOW we will continue breaking the old covenant over and over again, you have made a new covenant with us.

Despite the fact that you KNOW we will stray and go after other gods, over and over again, you have made a new covenant with us.

Despite the fact that we are unworthy, you have made a new covenant with us.

What wretched people we are…

…but…

what an AWESOME God YOU are!

“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” [Jeremiah 31:34]

I just can’t get over it.
I just can’t understand why.
I just can’t fathom your reasoning.

Through faith in Jesus you forgive us…and…remember those sins no more.  Wow…that is AWESOME!

Loving God…

stir in our hearts faith to receive this promise and live for you.
Stir in our hearts faith to run to you.
Stir in our hearts faith to remain with you.

Thank you, God, for this New Covenant and for Jesus Christ who died and rose that we may live.  Thank you, God, for showing patience and love and grace and mercy.  

Thank you God…may you be praised always and forever. 

Amen 🙂

edh -|—