Your job is to speak

Today: Ezekiel 1-4

I'll admit: The book of Ezekiel opens up in kind of a...weird...way. There's a prophet who has a science fiction-like vision from God. God speaks to him and tells him to do some things that are kind of odd (laying on one side for 390 days? And the other for 40? Eating food cooked on a fire fueled by human--or cow--dung?). Yet in the middle of things that seem strange to read, there are glimpses of God's familiar hand at work.

When God called Ezekiel, He used some words that I think He'd say to any Christ followers today. Take a look at these two excerpts where God is talking to Ezekiel about the people:

They're a bunch of rebels.

Your job is to speak to them.

Whether they listen is not your concern.

They're hardened rebels...

...They won't listen to you because they won't listen to me.

They are, as I said, a hard case, hardened in their sin.

But I'll make you as hard in your way as they are in theirs.

I'll make your face as hard as rock, harder than granite.

Don't let them intimidate you.

Don't be afraid of them,

even though they're a bunch of rebels."

I think it's interesting that God called Ezekiel to do some things that were a bit strange and to do something that He calls all of us to do--to tell other people about Him.

One thing God didn't call Ezekiel--or us--to do? Save people. We are called to talk with people about God and share His love with them, but they choose whether or not to listen and accept Him. God is the Savior! He's gracious enough not only to give people salvation, but to give them free will. God didn't create robots, but human beings. He wants us to love Him, but He doesn't force us into submission. Love is always a choice.

Tomorrow: Ezekiel 5-8

Will you go?

Today: Isaiah 5-8

What would you do if you heard God's voice...and He personally asked you to represent Him somewhere?

In today's passage, the prophet Isaiah continued to hear God's messages to His people. God was angry and hurt because the people He loved kept disregarding His Word and ignoring Him. They pursued idols and ignored justice. God wasn't happy, but He wanted His people to hear His perspective. He wanted a messenger to connect with the people. Here's how the prophet Isaiah recalled it:

And then I heard the voice of the Master:

"Whom shall I send?

Who will go for us?"

I spoke up,

"I'll go.

Send me!"

This may look like a short and simple paragraph on your computer screen and mine, but the implications behind this brief conversation are absolutely HUGE. Here are a few things I realized:

• Isaiah heard and recognized God's voice.
  
  How did that happen exactly? Here we don't read that God spoke to Isaiah from a burning bush or a donkey (that happened to other people in the Bible, though!). Isaiah heard and recognized God's voice. Was it audible? Or did he hear and recognize God's voice in his spirit?
  
  I don't know for sure in this case, but I do know that recognizing God's voice can be like recognizing the voice of a parent or best friend. You don't need to hear, "Hi--this is Mom," or even see her signature on your birthday card...you just know your mom's voice because whether it's audible or written, it's so familiar to you.
  
  How does that familiarity happen with God? I think it's from knowing what He's said before in His Word and in your life. When you know what He's said before, you get to know His heart and His character--and God's voice is always consistent with His nature.
  
• God wanted to send a person to deliver His message.
  
  I realize this fact is pretty basic, but have you ever wondered why? I mean--God is God, right? He doesn't need anything, especially imperfect people to deliver His message. God's all-powerful. Sometimes, He gets His message out through means other than people (e.g. nature, donkeys, miracles, etc.).
  
  So why did He use Isaiah? And why does He continue to use people today?
  
  I don't know for sure, but I think part of the answer is because He wants to give people an opportunity to serve and to be "in" on His purpose at work. What an awesome responsibility and honor!
  
  Another possibility? Using imperfect people to do His work allows His miraculous power to shine. When God works through people, it's like putting a toddler in the driver's seat of a Ferrari. If the toddler won the Indy 500, it would be pretty obvious to anyone that a miracle happened. Likewise, when people are used for God's purpose, it makes His power even clearer.

I started this post with a few questions, "What would you do if you heard God's voice...and He personally asked you to represent Him somewhere?" You've probably guessed that these questions are a bit of a set-up...because God has already called you and I and asked us to represent Him. You may not be called like Isaiah to speak to a nation, but you could be called to talk with your family about Jesus, to live as an example at your workplace or to share God's love with the homeless in your city.

Will you listen? Will you go? Will you speak?

Tomorrow: Isaiah 9-12

The graduation speech

Today: Proverbs 1-3

Do you know what people are most afraid of?

It's not dying, a terrorist attack or even spiders.

It's public speaking.

One of the weird things about me? I actually like it.

Almost 11 years ago I was preparing to speak at my high school graduation ceremony (it was on June 4--I do remember that!). I had 10-15 minutes to address my classmates and a room filled with about 1,000 of their parents, friends and relatives. I don't remember exactly what I said, but I'm sure I prayed a lot beforehand...and tried to sound smart, funny, inspiring, deep and challenging. It was a lofty goal for an 18-year old speaker with 10 minutes on the clock.

What do you say when your life is about to change forever?

What do you say when you don't want to say "goodbye"?

What do you say when you just want to cry...and laugh...together?

I wish that I said something like this:

Don't lose your grip on Love and Loyalty.

Tie them around your neck;

carve their initials on your heart.

Earn a reputation for living well

in God's eyes and the eyes of the people.

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;

don't try to figure out everything on your own.

Listen for God's voice in everything you do,

everywhere you go;

he's the one who will keep you on track.

Don't assume that you know it all.

Run to God!

Run from evil!

Your body will glow with health,

your very bones will vibrate with life!

Honor God with everything you own;

give him the first and the best.

Your barns will burst,

your wine vats will brim over.

But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline;

don't sulk under his loving correction.

It's the child he loves that God corrects;

a father's delight is behind all this.

That's a pretty good speech, right? I thought about ending it early...with the "Your barns will burst and your wine vats will brim over" line. But I think the last paragraph is important--perhaps the MOST important. It's a reminder that God may sometimes correct us because He loves us. More importantly, He delights in us:

• When we hold tight to Love and Loyalty...and when we see the folly of our indifference and betrayal,
  
• When we trust Him and when we see that we're not completely in charge,
  
• When we listen to Him and when we learn from our mistakes,
  
• When we honor Him and when we learn to depend on His provision, and
  
• When we love Him through it all...because He's always there loving us SO MUCH more.

No question. No silence.

Have you ever seen or experienced something that you just have to tell people about?

For me, one of those things is Mutton Bustin'. Mutton Bustin', as seen at my hometown's fair, is a sport where toddlers ride sheep...in rodeo-style glory. It's pretty hilarious, fun to watch and a little bit unbelievable all at the same time. Since it started at our local fair, it's the talk of the town...well, that and the chocolate-covered bacon they're serving (no, I'm not kidding!).

It's pretty amazing what people can't stop talking about, isn't it? Celebrities, the latest and greatest infomercial products (like the Shamwow and the Snuggie), sports, vacations, you name it. But in the list of topics that people just have to talk about, how often is God in the mix?

In our culture, it's actually taboo to talk about politics and religion (well, if it's Christianity, anyway--talking about most other religions seems to be more socially acceptable).

That's in stark contrast to the approach of the apostles in today's reading. They couldn't stop talking about Jesus and the miracles they witnessed...even after they were arrested and basically placed on trial in front of influential religious and political leaders. I love what Peter and John said to those leaders here:

"Whether it's right in God's eyes to listen to you

rather than to God,

you decide.

As for us, there's no question—

we can't keep quiet

about what we've seen and heard."

I LOVE their confidence, conviction and boldness.

I'm not one to necessarily advocate that Christians just start yelling on street corners or in their offices about God. In most cases, I don't think that's appropriate or what these apostles were actually doing. The leaders had told them not to use Jesus' name or talk to anyone about God--and this was simply their response back.

What have you seen and heard? And what's your response to it? Are you content to keep it to yourself? Or are you bursting to tell someone?