But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to save you,” declares the Lord.

Before a team goes out for a game, the coach often gives final encouragement and strategy to carry with them onto the field. The coach’s words are meant to stick with the players and help them get in the right mindset for the game. When God called Jeremiah, the feeling of being unqualified and unprepared was overwhelming. Jeremiah felt too young for the task God had given him, but God encouraged him. This encouragement was not based on Jeremiahs’s skill but God’s; it was a reminder that God would walk with Jeremiah in every place He called him.

When we face a task that is overwhelming and we feel intimidated like Jeremiah, our natural response is fear. But God’s encouragement is the same as it was Jeremiah: He is with us. He sent His Son Jesus as Immanuel, God with us. Whether you are in the game, possibly serving and overwhelmed about how everything will come together or sitting on the sidelines and unsure about where the Lord is calling you, the encouragement from the Lord is the same. Keep walking with and trusting Him through the unknowns. Just as God addressed Jeremiah’s excuses and hesitations, the Lord answers your fears with His presence.

• Who has encouraged you to serve? What have you learned from those people?
• How does God’s presence change the way you can serve?
• Pray and thank God for His presence and ask Him to grow your trust in Him.