S – I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.

Jeremiah 1:5 CSB

O – Commentary:

God’s call of Jeremiah as a prophet, though brief, contained a message designed to motivate him for his task. God revealed that His selection of Jeremiah as a prophet had occurred before he had even been formed … in the womb. The word knew (yāḏa‘) means far more than intellectual knowledge. It was used of the intimate relations experienced by a husband and wife (“lay,” Gen. 4:1) and conveyed the sense of a close personal relationship (“chosen,” Amos 3:2) and protection (“watches over,” Ps. 1:6). Before Jeremiah was conceived God had singled him out to be His spokesman to Israel.

Jeremiah had been set … apart for this ministry. The verb translated “set apart” (qāḏaš) means setting something or someone apart for a specific use. Individuals or objects “set apart” (or sanctified or made holy) for use by God included the Sabbath Day (Ex. 16:23; 20:8), the tabernacle and its furnishings (Ex. 29:44; 40:9), and the priests (Ex. 29:1; 30:30). God had marked Jeremiah from conception and reserved him for a special task. He was appointed to be a prophet to the nations

“Jeremiah,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – God knows each of us before we are even born.  He knows us, formed us, determined a purpose and gave us a message to share.  We are unique in the fulfillment of all of those.  It is amazing to see the strength of the body of Christ if every one of us were operating in all of those at the highest level.

R – Heavenly Father, we honor you alone as the one, true God.  We worship and surrender to you today.  Empower us to fulfill the purpose and will you have for us.  Please give us the courage to step toward you and that calling.