Monday, March 14, 2011

Voice In The Wilderness


Isaiah 55:11
So shall My word be that goes froth from My mouth.
It shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish what I please.
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Vicki and I drove downtown Attalla yesterday to do some shopping. As we approached the underpass that leads to Meighan Blvd, there he was.  Off the road set up near the sidewalk, stood a man with a portable sound system. White pressed shirt and black pants, tie and shoes that were shined, Bible in one hand, the other raised to the heavens. I stopped .

His message was to everyone that passed by. Repent, turn from your sins, follow Jesus. Several cars that drove by honked and yelled at him. I would like to say that they spoke words of encouragement but that would not be true. There was ridicule and mockery. Laughter and fingers pointing. Yet he kept on preaching.
He never let up and he never wavered in his message.

What manner of man would subject himself to such?
Some would say this was the behavior of an unbalanced man.
A Holy roller or a religious fanatic.
Could it be the heart of a simple man who was following the dictates of His Lord?
You see, this mans very presence uncovers our heart.
Some feel uncomfortable in this man's presence and his message, so they try to hide their discomfort in mockery or derision.
This uncomfortableness comes from the Spirit of God .

Maybe God put this man on this particular corner to make us uncomfortable and to awaken us to the need for our Salvation. Maybe this man is the New Testament counterpart to the prophets that were sent to Israel to warn them about God's coming judgement.

I know this.
You could not pass by this man and not have an opinion one way or the other.
You either were drawn to him or driven away by him.
As we drove up, Vicki and I began to pray.
"Thank you Lord for such a man as this. Strengthen him and continue to put fire in his message. Let him stand in places that you have called him to just as we must occupy the part of the Kingdom you have given to us."
What a God we serve.

God on you...
mb

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