Jer. 1:4-10 First Posting

1) Of course, this is a classic call story. Notice the resistance by Jeremiah, an element of most call stories. It is still a matter of debate who can speak for God, isn't it? see Dt. 18:18 and v. 9

2) If one wishes to work with foreknowledge, this would be an obvious one. This is an obvious anti-abortion text as well. I'm not sure if one can link foreknowledge to a calling and anti-abortion seamlessly. Patrick Miller in NIB sees "know" in the sense of choosing and in watching over in his long discussion of this passage(580). I'm not sure who is audience, to the nations, would mean. Will they hear, or dos it mean Jeremiah speaks to them too?

3) One could seize on the youth part and make it a meditation of God looking past age.

4) Last week, we read about Jesus using Is. as a mission statement. Now we get on for Jeremiah's call in v. 10. These phrases will be touched upon throughout the book, chs. 9, 12, 18, 31,40, 42, among others. Notice that they are not negative, only, but balanced. Jeremiah is not only gloom and doom.

 

Ps.71 gives us a nice contrast as it is directly linked to old age (vv.9,18,22). Some link this to Ps. 70.

1) I realize that the lection is for the first 6 verses, but it seems arbitrary to me. It loses its punch if we only emphasize youth. The whole point is God with us from cradle to grave.

2) Some see the lament form as whining. Ok, but to me the lament transofrms whining inot prayer, just as a curse psalm translate the desire for rev enge into prayer. It is part of the spiritual therapeutic arsenal.3) I am uncomfortable with the quid pro pquo. You help me God, I will praise you. On the other hand, what else  can we offer?

3) We may well overemphasize guilt and do not pay nearly enough attention to shame. It is the ifference between doing wrong and feeling as if oneself is wrong.

4) Think of some images or example of God as refuge.

5) I could imagine someone making one's church personal and spekaing for the church this psalm.