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Tag Archives: Prophets

1 Peter 1:10-12

06 Jan

10 This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. 11 They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.

12 They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.

1 Peter 1:10-12

Dear God, if I’ve ever noticed these verses before I do not remember them. They are totally new to me now, but I love them. I love Peter’s description of the Old Testament Prophets’ confusion and lack of knowledge over the very prophecies Jesus was giving them. How or why would this Christ suffer? That didn’t make sense to them.

Then to say that they were told that the prophecies weren’t for them for for us. For me. What an interesting thing for them to experience. What a disappointing thing for them. What a sad thing for them.

When I sat down here this morning, I was really feeling sorry for myself. In fact, I sat down and tried to think of a passage that would make me feel better, but nothing came to mind. So I went to my standard way of doing by going to Bible Gateway and looking to see their verse of the day. Interestingly, the verse was verse 13, the one right after these three verses. But it starts with the word “so,” and whenever I see that I always go back to look for the context of the “so.” So, I looked back and the preceding verses, and I found this wonderful encouragement through the ignorance and lack of participation in the good things of your plan by the very prophets who were so close to you they spoke your words to the people. Isaiah. Jeremiah. Micah. I could list them all. My point is, although they were prophets, they were not given full understanding. And many of them suffered for your message. So who am I to think I deserve any better.

Father, thank you for these prophets of old. I know they are enjoying their eternity with you right now. I know they love and worship you in this moment. And they are in the midst of your complete joy. I too will one day experience your joy in the afterlife. But in this moment, there are so many things for which I can be and should be grateful. You have given me so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you for answering my heartfelt prayers yesterday. I have more prayers to offer you. You know what they are. I pray them in the silence of my heart right now. I give it all to you.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 6, 2025 in 1 Peter

 

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Emails to God – Parenting Prophets with Honor (Matthew 13:53-58)

14 Feb

53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”

58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

Dear God, Jesus’ relationships with his family of origin have always been a little curious to me. Of course, there are different theories about whether Jesus was the oldest among his siblings (Mary was Joseph’s first marriage) or younger than all of his siblings (Joseph was a widower who had children from a previous marriage before he married Mary, and she remained a virgin after Jesus’ birth). I have to admit that, in this story, I kind of like the idea of Jesus being the youngest because he points out that he is not only without honor in his hometown, but “in his own home.” Having grown up in a family as the youngest, and even being in my forties now, I have always felt like everyone in the family sees me as the baby and it has been hard to feel grown up.

One of the things that is difficult to do as a parent is figure out how to let your child grow and mature into an adult and then recognize that change when it happens. On the other hand, I think that sometimes a teenager can trick us into believing they are grown up because they seem so grown up, but they still need training and guidance. It is a really hard line to find and draw.

Father, as I raise and train my children (and as my wife does as well), help us to find and draw these lines. We don’t want to disrespect the adults they are becoming, but we also don’t want to abandon them as parents and the training they need before it is time. I think I tend to draw this line on the more childish side of where the line actually is, and my wife tends to draw it on the more adult side of the actual line. So my prayer is that you will increasingly help us to draw the same line in the correct place, and then unite together as we parent both of our children for your glory’s sake.

 
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Posted by on February 14, 2012 in Matthew

 

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Emails to God – Accepting and Rejecting Prophets (Matthew 10:40-42)

12 Jan

40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

Dear God, I have both accepted and rejected your “prophets” over the years. The trick is trying to discern whether or not they are from you. For example, there is a popular television preacher out there that I have rejected as your prophet. That’s not to say that I would treat him badly if I saw him, or that I wouldn’t give him a drink of water if he needed it, but I absolutely reject his teaching. If I am wrong on him then I have, indeed, rejected anything you might try to say to me through him.

I am also in a situation where I am in a class right now to possibly join a new denomination, and I am trying to reconcile the things that I agree with and the things I don’t agree with. What is important and what isn’t? Where should I draw the line and say, “That is too far,” where should I say, “I disagree, but it isn’t important,” and where should I say, “Hmm, perhaps I should consider rethinking my position”? It can be hard to parse through the different items that make up our theology and figure out where we can come into the truth you want us to know and also come into community with each other, even though we each might understand truth a little differently.

Father, help me to find truth through this process. Help me to discern what you would have me to believe, what you would have to be just accept in an “agree to disagree” kind of way, and what you would have me to reject. If I reject something, help me to do it in love. Even this one preacher that I reject, help me to love him—especially if you consider him to be your prophet and disciple. Speak truth to him. Speak truth to me. Help me to know you more and more.

 
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Posted by on January 12, 2012 in Matthew

 

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