“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD; though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” – Isaiah 1:18-20
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” – Jeremiah 33:3
“Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!” – Ezekiel 18:30, 31
Earlier in our story we were introduced to the prophets (Samuel, etc). They are people that are brought into our story to teach us about our Father and about having a relationship to Him. They did this in several ways. First, they were responsible for reminding God’s people of who they belonged to and where they came from. There have always been many temptations and distractions that cause us to forget that we are God’s creation and that we are meant to fellowship with Him.
Secondly, the prophets provided principles that gave guidance for daily living. There is a “divine design” for a healthy relationship with our Savior and with each other. It is easy to get into routines…good and bad…that become mindless and void of the passion that fuels our walk with God. Healthy relationships require daily attention and these Books of the Bible (The Major Prophets) chronicle Israel’s struggles in following that advice.
Thirdly, God gave His precious promises through the prophets. They challenged the people of God to recognize the benefits of walking in harmony with God’s plan and the impact that it can make on our life today and in the future. The Scriptures listed above give us the hope that there is always opportunity for repentance. No matter how far we have wandered or what we have done, God gives us the chance to turn back to Him.
The Major Prophets of the Bible served during very unstable times during the history of Israel. They constantly rebelled against God and followed their own way. Even when they worshiped the God who loved them, they were just going through the motions. It was described in Isaiah as “lip service”. It was being religious without a relationship. The prophets remind us that our story…the One story is a love story. Yes, there is a lot of warnings about the consequences of rejecting God recorded in these writings and, yes, we see the devastating…destructive results of people choosing their own way. But, we also see that there is always…without exception…opportunities to repent. God never allows judgement to come without calling for people to return…to come home.
This is still true in our story today. God brings people into our lives…like prophets…who remind us of who we are and where we came from. They help get us on the right path and encourage us to fall in love with God all over again. And…at the same time…God uses us as “prophets” in the lives of people around us to do the same thing! We can proclaim the message to others that it is not too late and that they can experience a fulfilling relationship with the God who loves them if they will answer His call.
So, I will challenge you today to refresh your relationship with God and also make a commitment to be a source of encouragement to others around you. In other words…be a blessing!
This can be your story!