August 15

Your Calling: Be a Prophet in Stamford

Today we are introduced to a new personality in our journey, the prophet Ezekiel. A man called by God to be a prophet at a very difficult time and place in history. God tells him that he is being sent to minister to a rebellious people. This nation is so rebellious they refuse to repent even when they have been sent into captivity. WOW!!! You talk about hard hearts. These people are obstinate and stubborn when it comes to humbling themselves before God. The message he is to deliver is to first be consumed. I take the “eating of the scroll” is God’s challenge for Ezekiel to practice what he is going to preach. To make sure the message is part of his life. He is warned ahead of time that the people will not listen and that he will be tempted to be afraid. But the words I want to focus on are found in

Ezekiel 2:5 And whether they listen or fail to listen--for they are a rebellious house--they will know that a prophet has been among them.

That is our calling. To live in such a way that people say, “There is a prophet among us.” This means that we must not shrink away from following the Lord with our whole heart, even when times become difficult. It means resolutely speaking the truth of God to a culture that “can’t handle the truth.” It means loving people even when they are not loving us in return. It means sacrificing our comfort so that the message of God’s kingdom can clearly be seen. Try lyiing on your side for 390 days and cooking your food on cow dung. In the end God is not looking for results, he is looking for faithfulness.

Being a prophet calls for godly courage and unswerving faith on our part.

May all of us on this Bible reading journey become prophets to our families, our neighborhoods, our work places and the city of Stamford.

Picnic is on for Monday ... let me know if you can attend. I will not cook the burgers on cow dung.