Is Age Our Stumbling Block?

Our first Bible Study. I pray it will be a blessing to you.

Jeremiah 1:4-10 (NKJV)
Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."
Then said I:
"Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth."
But the Lord said to me: "Do not say, 'I am a youth' for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you," says the Lord.

Okay, so God tells us here that Jeremiah is pretty young. Who knows how old a youth was back then, but the fact that the word was translated into 'youth' says something.
So the Lord wanted to speak through Jeremiah, but he said he couldn't. Jeremiah denied God from using him. Jeremiah thought God couldn't work through him. After all, Jeremiah was just a kid. God can't work through kids, right? We don't know what we're talking about, right? Kids like us can't do the right thing by God.

2 Kings, 11:21; 12:2; 2 Chronicles, 24:17-19
11:21 Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.
12:2 Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
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Okaywe know how old Jehoash was. He was doing a good job. The kid repaired the Temple.
Then Jehoiada died. Then everything fell apart.

2 Chronicles 24:17-19
Now after the death of Jehoiada the leaders of Judah came and bowed down to the king. And the king listened to them. Therefore they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served wooden images and idols; and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass. Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them back to the Lord; and they testified against them, but they would not listen

Jehoiada dies, and Jehoash turns to wooden idols. So God didn't use him, because of his youth, right?
Scripture doesn't make a big deal about his age, so maybe God doesn't really care if we're young. Jehoash (or Joash, my version goes back and forth) was good while the father figure was in his life, but when he died, Joash became bad again. Which leads us to our last reference for the day. My favorite two verses, and every other teenagers, I'm sure...

Proverbs 1:8-9
My son, hear the instruction of your father,
And do not forsake the law of of your mother;
For they will be a graceful ornament on your head,
And chains around your neck.

As long as we have a Jehoiada in our lives (parent, aunt/uncle, pastor, youth pastor, teacher...) we can follow the Lord and do the right thing, because they'll help us. But when they're gone, and we forget what they teach us, we'll end up like Joash did. (2 Kings 12:20-21)

In His Service
Joyce