When God called young Jeremiah and appointed him as a prophet to the nations, Jeremiah responded with a familiar-sounding excuse. “Alas, Lord God! I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” (Jeremiah1v7)
And God’s response? “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ 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.
We’ve probably all said things we shouldn’t be saying – ‘I could never do that’, ‘I’m not good enough for that’, ‘I’m just a child’… It sounds very like Moses when he said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3v11.)
God’s answer to him was simple; “I will be with you.”
We need to stop saying some things – clap our hands over our mouths – and start listening to what God is saying.