\'I knew you before I formed you in"); document.writeln("your mother\'s womb. Before you were born, I set you apart and appointed you as"); document.writeln("my prophet to the nations.\" \"O Sovereign Lord,\" I said, \"I can\'t speak for you!"); document.writeln("I\'m too young!\" The Lord replied, \"Don\'t say, I\'m too young, for you must go"); document.writeln("wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don\'t be afraid of the"); document.writeln("people, for I will be with you and will protect you\'¦\'1
"); document.writeln("Jeremiah was chosen by God at a young"); document.writeln("age to do difficult things. The Lord had forbidden him to marry and have"); document.writeln("children at that time. This may have led to additional loneliness, but it was"); document.writeln("also a blessing as he did not have to see his family suffer with the"); document.writeln("destruction of Jerusalem. He faced the"); document.writeln("great task of declaring the word of God to a rebellious nation, but the Lord was"); document.writeln("with him. He is often referred to as the \'weeping prophet\' because of his"); document.writeln("tender heart and the grief he felt for his people, as their sin had led to"); document.writeln("severe consequences from the Lord. Jeremiah endured ongoing rejection and"); document.writeln("personal isolation, which many times comes with the calling of God upon our"); document.writeln("lives. A.W. Tozer wrote, \'Always remember you cannot carry a cross in company."); document.writeln("Though a man were surrounded by a vast crowd, his cross is his alone and his"); document.writeln("carrying of it marks him as a man apart.\' Jeremiah\'s cross to bear was obedience to his"); document.writeln("role as a prophet of God, and he bore it courageously.
"); document.writeln("God, our Creator, formed us and set us apart for a special task. He"); document.writeln("gave us specific traits to fulfill his calling for our life. It may not always"); document.writeln("be easy, but we can be sure that our obedience to God is all that is needed. He"); document.writeln("will do the rest!
"); document.writeln("More than ever God needs his people to"); document.writeln("stand strong. To speak truth in love. To be a light in the midst of such great"); document.writeln("darkness. My heart, like Jeremiah\'s, breaks seeing the great sin in the world"); document.writeln("around us. We must stay the course and be consistent in sharing the message"); document.writeln("of hope, love, and salvation to others. God has set us apart and prepared us"); document.writeln("for such a time as this.
"); document.writeln("Suggested prayer: Dear God, it is such"); document.writeln("a powerful thought knowing how you formed me and set me apart since before I"); document.writeln("was born to do great things for you. Give me an obedient heart that will seek"); document.writeln("and serve you faithfully, even when it is difficult. Help my light shine bright"); document.writeln("and lead others to you. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.
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Jeremiah 1:5-8 (NLT).
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Today\'s Encounter was written by:"); document.writeln("Crystal B.
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This and other devotionals by Richard (Dick) Innes can be read online.
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