The prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord; and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord fulfill the words that you have prophesied, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles. But listen now to this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes true, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.” ~ Jeremiah 28:5-9
Prophets - like Jeremiah and others - tend not to be popular.
They tend not to say things that we want to hear.
They tell us about God's desires and the ways in which we miss the mark in responding to those desires.
This is as true today as it was for the Israelites.
We want prophets of peace as well as our forebearers. We want good news. We want to know God is pleased with us.
And when prophets give us bad news, they often pay the price. Think Martin Luther King, Jr.
A prophet helps us to see that which we miss because we can sometime be wilfully blind; because we are comfortable with how things are.
What prophet are you being called to listen to?
Open my ears and eyes to your prophets, Lord...even when they say things I don't want to hear. Amen