October 4 – The Voice of a Prophet (2 Chronicles 36:15-16)

“He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.”(Proverbs 15:32)

IN WORD:
The bulk of the Bible between Genesis 3 and Revelation 19 is largely corrective. In many different ways, it addresses an utterly fallen human condition, through remedy and through judgment. It points out — repeatedly — that we are in need of a change.
That’s not a very popular position in this world. We don’t like to be confronted with our sin. Many have emphatically rejected Christianity because there are commands and judgments in its Scriptures. We often ignore the God who loves His creation enough to divert us from our own destructive ways. But whenever we’re out of line, He must point it out. Through His Word, given through His prophets, God speaks. And whether we like it or not, His voice often calls us to be dramatically different.
The voice of a true prophet is always a voice crying in the wilderness. It is a lonely voice of redirection, showing all of us wanderers how to get to the city of God. It is often not welcome. If it were, it would not have been necessary to begin with. This world doesn’t like correction, and it’s often not interested in getting to God’s city. We simply can’t afford to absorb its independent ways.

IN DEED:
When the prophets speak — whether they are the prophets of Scripture or the prophets of our age — we must listen. The loving Father will always correct His children, and we must be open to His correction. Not to have ears that hear Him is suicide. It is like walking off a cliff because we’ve ignored the true path we were pointed to. It just doesn’t make sense.
Do not stress about the affront to your ego that the Word of God will spark. It is a loving affront. Can you hear it? It is the voice of your Father, and it will lead to life. Be sure to heed the voice of discipline. It will bear the marks of love, and it will always point you home.

“The voice of God is a friendly voice. No one need fear to listen to it unless he has already made up his mind to resist it.”
-A.W. Tozer-