by F. L. Anderson
Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. (Jeremiah 1:17) KJV
Jeremiah was a young man, in the mist of priest, in a city of priest were his father was also a priest. Out of all these priest the Lord chose a young boy, inexperienced, but uncontaminated by traditions and the idols of the people. When the Lord got fed up with the ways of an older generation of priests, their neglect of the people and their turning away from God to their idols. Which today would be, their cars, homes, their cloths, jobs, bank accounts, self promotions, Self! Self! Self! God decided to uproot, tear down, destroy and overthrow.
Jeremiah certainly did not want the responsibility of being the vessel that God chose to bring about the necessary changes that would return God as the center of focus and praise but, when God calls...
Jeremiah also understood the opposition that he would encounter, and of course so did God. To often change is a bad word, let alone an uncomfortable and unimaginable action for many in the Church especially today.
In verse 17 the Lord tells Jeremiah to, "gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee." In other words, get ready young men and women of God, prepare yourself, "tell them what I COMMAND you to say, what I command you to teach, what I command you to write." Young ministers, our elders will not always like what we do and say, but, If God commands, we must do and say what He as commanded of us. Remember, say and do it in love and respect, but with no regrets.
"Be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them." You've heard the phrase, "If looks could Kill," well they certainly can. As a minister and communications major, I can tell you from experience that certain looks from an audience can kill your confidence. Here the word faces is used because it is an effective form of non-communications. People often times let you know how they feel or think by their facial expressions, and if you are not careful these looks will leave you dismayed. In other words, they will cause you to lose courage and the confidence you had in what God COMMANDED you to do and say.
I'll close with the same encouraging words God gave Jeremiah in verse 18 and 19,
For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.