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September 1, 2023
The Reluctant Leader
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days, when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. (Jeremiah 29:11-13 NLT)
My child, have you ever noticed God calls the least likely, most reluctant people to be leaders – people who feel unqualified for the task He sets before them? If you are one of those people who feel there is no way God could use me, after all, I’ve done, you are not alone! Jonah is a prime example of our human nature; he was a reluctant leader in a time of need. Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh. Instead, he ran in the opposite direction. He was not the only unwilling leader:
1. Moses felt he couldn’t do the assignment God had given him after forty years of preparation. He expressed his unwillingness as he stood before the burning bush – trying to excuse himself from Leadership. (Exodus 3)
2. What about Gideon? God called him to lead the attack against the Midianites, and he argued with an angel, explaining why he wasn’t qualified for the job. (Judges 6-8)
3. Then there is King Saul who stood head and shoulders above everyone else – but he stood behind the baggage when Samuel came to anoint him as King of Israel. (1 Samuel 10:21-22)
4. Consider Jeremiah, whom God called to be a prophet to the nations. He argued with God about his young age as though God didn’t have a clue how old he was. God told him I have been preparing you since before you were formed in your mother’s womb! Jeremiah 1)
What about you? Is God calling you for a specific assignment? Do you feel unqualified? Are you running from God? You can run, but God does not change his mind just because you are not willing to obey Him.
Do you believe you are too old to do the job? After lengthy research, it appears that your sixties are the most productive decade of your life, your fifties are the second-most productive decade, and your seventies are the third-most productive decade. God will equip you to do what He has called you to do and send the people to help you. However, God told Jeremiah, ‘“But you—up on your feet and get dressed for work! Stand up and say your piece. Say what I tell you to say. Don’t pull your punches or I’ll pull you out of the lineup. Stand at attention while I prepare you for your work. I’m making you as impregnable as a castle, immovable as a steel post, solid as a concrete block wall. You’re a one-man defense system against this culture, against Judah’s kings and princes, against the priests and local leaders. They’ll fight you, but they won’t even scratch you. I’ll back you up every inch of the way.” God’s Decree. (Jeremiah 1:17-19) God is saying to you today, ‘Get up, get dressed for your assignment, and say precisely what the Father tells you to say, and don’t sugarcoat it! Stand to attention while I prepare you for the task – I am making you invincible!
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