In recent posts you may have noticed a slight change in style. One thing the Lord has impressed on me to do as of late is to begin recording my meditations on verses as I encounter them throughout his Word. Nothing professional or systematic or even well thought out, but simply to write down the first blush ideas which spring forth in my mind from his revelation in Scripture. As such I have just been collecting verses as they came and sharing my thoughts on them with you guys.
However, as I have developed this process, it has become clear to me that I should go straight into books of the Bible and do this as I felt lead, my basic strategy being this: to read the text and as verses pop out to write them down and then write down the thoughts which they evoked. I decided that I would carry this out first using the book of the prophet Jeremiah, and so over the next several weeks, among other posts, I will be sharing with you the things I record through this process.
That said, I will begin with Chapter 1:
“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.” (v.5)
God’s election here is certain and it seems unreasonable to assume that Jeremiah had any choice in the matter. Some will argue that God saw what the elect would do and that is why he elected them, but to say that God saw Jeremiah would become a prophet fails, since it is God who makes prophets. This seems similar to Paul in Acts 9. Where is their free will?
“Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them.” (v.17b)
We are called to do God’s work with courage, that our faith be in him and not our own abilities, that our eyes be on him and not the approval of man (Galatians 1.10).
Posted by Todd Burus 
