September 29

Called to Return, Equipped to Stand

Today's Reading

Old Testament
  • Jeremiah 1-4
  • Psalm 130

New Testament
  • 2 Corinthians 10

Devotion

Jeremiah 1 begins with a powerful reminder that God calls us even before we feel ready. Jeremiah, a young man, is called to be a prophet to the nations. Overwhelmed and unsure, he protests his inadequacy, but God reassures him that He will be with him and put His words in his mouth. This is a striking image of divine commissioning: God chooses, God equips, and God sends. But as we see in chapters 2–4, the task is not easy. Jeremiah is sent to confront a wayward people—those who have turned from God, exchanged His glory for idols, and chased after empty things.

Still, God's message is not just confrontation, but invitation. Over and over, He calls His people to return to Him. He is not looking for performance but for broken, honest hearts. Return to Me, He says, for I am merciful.

Psalm 130 echoes this cry of repentance. Out of the depths, the psalmist cries to the Lord, confident not in his own righteousness but in God's unfailing love and full redemption. The psalm is raw and real—acknowledging sin while clinging to hope. It reminds us that God hears those who cry to Him and that forgiveness is always available to those who wait on Him.

2 Corinthians 10 shifts the focus to spiritual strength and the nature of our battle. Paul reminds the church that we do not fight with weapons of this world. Instead, we fight with spiritual weapons capable of demolishing strongholds, arguments, and pride that rise against the knowledge of God. He calls believers to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. This is a call not just to outward repentance, but to inward transformation.

Taken together, these scriptures speak to us when we feel unqualified, when we feel far from God, and when we feel spiritually under attack. God calls us back to Himself with mercy. He meets us in the depths with forgiveness. And He gives us weapons not of flesh, but of divine power to live in victory.

Reflection Questions

  1. Like Jeremiah, are you resisting God’s call because of fear or feelings of inadequacy? What might it look like to trust His strength over your own?
  2. Is there an area of your heart or life where God is inviting you to return to Him with repentance and honesty?
  3. What strongholds or thought patterns in your life need to be taken captive and made obedient to Christ?

Prayer

Father God, Thank You for calling me even in my weakness and for offering mercy when I wander. Teach me to trust that You will equip me for whatever You call me to. I cry out to You from the depths—create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Help me to walk in spiritual strength, to take captive every thought, and to live a life that reflects Your grace and truth. Amen.

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