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By Kristen Hollis

“The word of the Lord came to me, saying, '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.’ ‘Alas, Sovereign Lord,’ I said, ‘I do not know how to speak; I am too young.’ But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am too young.” You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,’ declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, ‘I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.’”—Jeremiah 1:4–10 (NIV)

Have you ever felt too ordinary to be used by God? Jeremiah did. When God called him to be a prophet, his first response was, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” Yet God wasn’t looking for eloquence or experience—He was looking for willingness.

Jeremiah’s story reminds us that hearing from God often begins in quiet, ordinary places. There’s no spotlight, no grand stage—just a conversation between the Creator and His child. And when God speaks, He gives purpose, courage, and power beyond what we think we’re capable of.

What made Jeremiah extraordinary wasn’t his background or ability—it was his response. He listened and obeyed. God touched his mouth and filled it with His words, transforming an unsure young man into a voice that would shape generations.

God still speaks today—through His Word, His Spirit, and moments of stillness. He takes ordinary people who are willing to listen and turns them into messengers of hope.

Pause today and ask, “Lord, what are You saying to me?” You might be surprised at how He uses your simple “yes” to do something extraordinary.

Put It To Practice: Connect

God created us for deep connection! Whatever your personality is, you weren’t meant to do life alone. An essential part of becoming more like Jesus is developing routines of connecting with His people. Additionally, the greatest commandment was summarized by Jesus as loving God and loving others. Today, practice loving others by connecting intentionally through listening to someone else without interruption. Ask them questions about their day and life, and listen as you would to Jesus.

For the Family

Today’s Main Idea: God speaks to ordinary people and gives them extraordinary purpose.

Ask Together:

  1. How do you think Jeremiah felt when God asked him to do something big even though he felt too young?
  2. What’s something you think God might be asking you to do to show His love to others this week?

Verses

Jeremiah 1:4-10

4The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
5“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.”
6“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
7But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
9Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

Prayer

Lord, thank You for speaking to me. Help me to listen with an open heart and respond with faith. Use my life for Your purpose. Amen.