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Hearing and Obeying what the Lord says
From Deuteronomy 18:15-20: The LORD your God will raise up a prophet like me from your community, from your fellow Israelites. He's the one you must listen to. That's exactly what you requested from the LORD your God at Horeb, on the day of the assembly, when you said, "I can't listen to the LORD my God's voice anymore or look at this great fire any longer. I don't want to die!" The LORD said to me: What they've said is right. I'll raise up a prophet for them from among their fellow Israelites—one just like you. I'll put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. I myself will hold accountable anyone who doesn't listen to my words, which that prophet will speak in my name. However, any prophet who arrogantly speaks a word in my name that I haven't commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods—that prophet must die.
Many years ago, your family got their first phone. After being the last family in our block to get one, we gathered around it to see what it would do. I remember my Dad making the first call and I remember our running to it when it would ring. Sometimes we would just pick it up because in those days in our town, many of us shared a line with others, called a party line and we would try to listen to someone else's conversation; woe to the ones caught doing that. I don't remember the first call for me; phones seems to be a grownup thing. My friend Alex, and I, had a special shrill yell, actually our attempt to imitate the whistle we could not quite do, which would have the other running to the house of the other. We never talked on the phone as there was no need. Years later I remember walking in a department store and seeing one of our neighbors with a huge bag with a phone in it! It seemed like something from a war movie, a large shoulder bag with a phone with a cord, and she was calling one of her daughters to get their sizes for a dress. By then I had had many calls for me, and I had made a number of calls as well. The most important one, my call into ministry came not through a phone, but from God's way of speaking to me, and calling me to do what I do. It was a quiet but effective way that let me know that my life's fulfillment would come in being obedient to Him and His call into ministry.
God continues to speak even today. Not many hear Him because of so many distractions that have come our way. And the text for today comes in the time of the formation of Israel as God's chosen people. The voice of God was heard from God's mouthpiece, which is literally what the word prophet means. During this time in their formation history it was Moses who heard from and spoke for God. And here in this passage, God is speaking prophetically about the prophet who was to come later from among the Israelites. It would be an answered prayer, for God would raise up the one who would speak for Him, and the people had to listen. This new prophet would be one who would speak words of accountability towards God, and words that had to be heard, received, and obeyed. And this spokesperson for God would be one who loved God in a genuine way, not arrogant in either speech or life, and speak only for the one true God.
We should not let the distractions of today quiet the voice of God. For most of us that voice brings encouragement and hope, but it also brings words of reproach and instruction; all good, and necessary for our wellbeing. Those who make time to talk to, and listen to, God, hear exactly what the Lord may be saying to us.
PRAYER: Loving God, I pray that these times we make to read your word and speak to You through our prayers would be just one of the many times during the day in which I can truly hear Your voice for my life. Help me to hear, listen, and obey all that You share. And after I say Amen, it will be Your turn to talk. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
