The prophets represented God among the covenant people. They brought new revelation to the people through their preaching, teaching and way of life. At the crucial time in the history of Israel that we find described in the books of Samuel, a new name of God is introduced. I find this very interesting!
Category: Prophetic meditations
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We need prophetic mothers
The story of Hannah, Samuel’s mother, is very instructive. She was a prophetic mother who still speak to us today because of who she was and what she did. We need a lot of prophetic mothers like Hannah!
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Living as community
In the book "Emergent Churches" by Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger I found this quote by Jonathan Campell, Seattle:
"In our current cultural crisis, the most powerful demonstration of the reality of the gospel is a community embodying the way, the truth, and the life of Jesus. Healthy community is the life of Jesus in us and through us. For community to last, our love for one another must be surpassed only by our love for Jesus. If the relationships are grounded on anything other than Jesus, the community will fall – and the sooner the better!"
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Transforming secular space
Many religious people live with a sacred/secular divide. If we understand the nature of the Kingdom of God, we will live above that artificial divide and overcome all modern dualisms. As Christians we give all of life over to God in worship and we recognize the work of God in formerly nonspiritual things or activities. "There is nothing so secular that it cannot be sacred, and that is one of the deepest messages of the Incarnation," Madeleine L’Engle says according to be book Emerging Churches. "Even times of coffee turned into worship and to a centering on Christ," Dwight Friesen tells when he is describing the way of community life is is experiencing. This sentence brings into mind one of my most quoted and laughed of poems which goes like this:
To be somebody
Is to eat an orange
In worship and wonder
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Ascension Day
Today is Ascension Day in Norway. We are celebrating that Jesus Christ was enthroned at the right hand of the Almighty God. This should have been one of the biggest celebrations in the year, but it has become just another religious holyday with no meaning other than a day free from work. Even most of the Christians don’t celebrate the Ascension Day properly now a days.
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The cross of the prophet
I have been meditating on Samuel recently. The story of how he was called to be a prophet is exiting and touching. At the very first word he received from the Lord he had to take up the cross of the prophet. The very first time the Lord spoke to him he experienced the prophet’s cross, the having unwelcome truth to give to those he loved, honoured and feared. Naturally his first reaction was fear and a desire to keep silet, when he heard the message of the Lord concerning Eli and his family. However, at a direct question he told Eli what the Lord had said. He did not add anything and he did not subtract anything. In spite of his natural fear, he took upon himself the cross and was prepared for the worst to happen to him when he delivered the Word of the Lord to his superior supervisor.
The cross of the prophet is to deliver unpleasant words to those we love, knowing the word may hurt but if received in a beautiful heart it will bring restoration and redemption. Even though a word seems to be hard to bring, when we take up the prophet’s cross, we will experience resurrection life.
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Revelation or mere inspiration?
I came across a saying of Goethe today that caught my attention. He shall have said, "There are many echoes in the world, but few voices." In the light of my meditation on the silence of a prophet and on not talking to much, these words made an impact on my soul. I have been reading in 1 Samuel 3 on the Lord calling Samuel to become his prophet. In those days the word of God was rare and there was no open vision.
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Let us reason together
In my blog I am sharing from my heart and sometimes I am “thinking loudly” and even inviting my friends to “think loudly” with me and reason together and learn from one another. This entry and my previous entry "Don’t talk too much" are this kind of loud thinking or wondering and asking for insight from fellow disciples of the Lord. Therefore I am thanking every person that leaves a comment on my blog. The comments and questions enrich the blog.
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Don’t talk too much!
I came across a verse in the Bible saying that too much talk fosters sin. I wonder if too much blogging or too much prophesying falls into the same category?
"Don’t talk too much, for it fosters sin. Be sensible and turn off the flow!" (NLT Proverbs 10:19)
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One prophet against two kings and four hundred other prophets
In 1 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicle 18 we find a very interesting and fascinating story that can shed some light on the silence of a prophet. The godly king Jehoshaphat had become very rich and successful, and he made a marriage alliance with the ungodly king Ahab. Once Jehoshaphat was visiting Ahab, he was celebrated with a feast, a huge barbeque, with all the lamb and beef one could eat. But Ahab had a hidden agenda, he wanted Jehoshaphat’s support in attacking Ramoth Gilead. When Ahab brought it into the open, Jehoshaphat agreed to join forces with him. But only on one condition; that before they did anything, they should ask God for guidance. He said, “Inquire first for the word of the Lord.”