A Prophetic Voice

Posted on by Matt Parker


“On that day people will regard their Maker, and their eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel…” – Isaiah 17:7

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING: Isaiah 16-19

Perhaps one of the most difficult jobs in the Old Testament is the one that belonged to Isaiah. Isaiah was called to be a prophet to the people in thesouthern kingdom of Judah during a time of exile and return from exile in Babylon. Being a prophet is not about reading palms and telling fortunes. To be a prophet is to speak out against the wrong and proclaim God’s word — even when it is not a word that people want to hear. I’m sure this was not a job that many people wanted. But Isaiah is called into this ministry.

This Sunday, we will be looking at Isaiah’s calling and his response to his call. But today I want to ask, who are the prophets that speak truth and proclaim God’s word in our lives — even when it’s not something we want to hear. Recent events in our world such as health pandemics and racial tensions have led to many people proclaiming distorted versions of the truth. But how do we know when a prophet is speaking God’s truth?

In Matthew 6:33, Jesus instructs the crowds that have gathered around him to “strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” There are many voices that we hear daily, and many of the voices we hear the loudest are the ones doing the most harm in division. What if we tune out the other voices and tune in to the voice of God? What if we “strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness?” Maybe then we will be able to hear the voice of the prophet calling out to us and proclaiming God’s word from the wilderness.

Last week was exciting as we returned to live worship on our church campus. It was really good to see those who attended one of our two services. I know there are others who are not comfortable returning to worship. You are missed greatly and I look forward to the day when ALL of us can be together in worship again. Have a safe and happy 4th of July weekend and I look forward to being with you this weekend in worship at 9:30 and 11:00, and also online!

Grace and peace,
Matt

P.S. Although we typically have received the Sacrament of Holy Communion on the first Sunday of the month, I have decided that it is not safe for us to do so this weekend. We will continue to work on the best practices for administering this sacrament in person. In the meantime, we will be offering Drive Thru Communion on Sunday, July 12, from 5-6 PM. Janet Brown and I will be under the portico at 5 PM and will lead those who have gathered through theadministration of the sacrament. Everyone is invited to come and receive Communion anytime during the hour we are out there.