I hadn't read Jeremiah. But I think you misunderstand my post. Mostly I'm just trying to understand how this relationship works, as its definitely hard at times. Hearing that God is with me to the end of the age, is sort of comforting, but mostly I just wonder what it means. I know it doesn't mean he's going to make my life easy. But when you think of a friend who is "there for you"... you think of someone who comes to your aid when you are in distress, who helps you out of tough situations, who gladly gives you whatever you need. So God being with me to the end of the age must have some different meaning than what I typically think of when I think of a friend or family member who is there for me. Although here in Jeremiah God is in fact giving Jeremiah protection in this particular task. Which is more how I think our relationship must be which is why I mentioned feeling selfish. But God doesn't really work like that anymore right? I remember watching this movie, "End of the Spear" where the missionary in South America gets speared and killed. There was a good outcome for some, and the missionaries work had impact. I remember another missionary who spoke at Northside and her husband had been killed in the Africa. She had an incredibly positive outlook about the whole thing, though I remember crying a lot. And this is not to start a why do bad things happen to good people question... because I think I know the answer to that... sin... right? Jesus has conquered sin, but only in the spiritual sense as I understand. Missionaries still get speared, and its not because God wanted that to happen, or that God wanted this wife and her daughters to be raised without their father. And I imagine that God feels sad about it and wants to comfort them and wants them to be happy. But how shattering would it have been to think that God had promised those missionaries protection and then not given it. But then its kind of selfish anyway to ask for protection when others aren't getting it isn't it? Or to ask for anything like that? I was in a small group that just ended last week and we read the book Crazy Love and in it there is a part where he is talking about how we always pray for safety when going on a trip. He then writes: "People who are obsessed with Jesus aren’t consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. Obsessed people care more about God’s kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress." And that is pretty much what rattles through my mind we talk about God being there for us, and why I wonder if it's the reverse. Even here in Jeremiah, God is protecting Jeremiah, I think more for his own purposes, rather than for Jeremiah's earthly comfort. I'm probably terribly wrong about a number of things I have said in this post... but hey, I'm trying to figure it all out.

Will Tony, Jeremiah did some shrinking down before his rising up. I think you hit the point a little later in your commentary, but God appears to be the one in control here. Probably we need less cocky young men who think they know it all... (never was I like that) and more young men seeking wisdom and guidance from their heavenly father.