what manner of man…
May 24th, 2006 by Andyis the prophet? This is a question that I’m giving much thought to this week. I find myself returning again and again to a book titled simply, the Prophets by Abraham Joshua Heschel. In it he writes:
The prophet is a man who feels fiercely. God has thrust a burden upon his soul, and he is bowed and stunned at man’s fierce greed. Frightful is the agony of man; no human voice can convey its full terror. Prophecy is the voice that God has lent to the silent agony, a voice to the plundered poor, to the profaned riches of the world. It is a form of living, a crossing point of God and man. God is raging in the prophet’s words.
The prophets lived in a perpetually state of disgust and indignation that would be impossible for us to sustain. But the question I struggle with and I want to ask you is: what can we sustain?
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I think that we can sustain a discontented awareness of the already but not yet. The joy of the already, we already experience the goodness of God. The discontment of the not yet, that we are not yet worshipping in fullness.
Comment by Dan — May 26, 2006 @ 9:15 pm
I think that I have no idea what you are talking about.
Comment by Brad — June 21, 2006 @ 4:51 pm
Good thoughts, I’m not sure it is impossible for us to sustain this disgust and indignation. On thing about the prophets of old was that while they lived in that indignation they were passionate about calling God’s people back into proper relationship with God. Many of the prophets were deeply burdened for those who were “away” and thus they’re message helped sustain them. I agree with Dan that we can draw some comfort from the already and not paradox in which we live, but we must also take comfort in our message (both verbal and the message our lives speak). Otherwise we run the risk of retreating into “well there’s nothing I can do about it” mentality. So to reflect on your question… I think we can sustain our message and passion for God while we live in indignation for the way in which we see God being represented by and in our culture (which is what I’m assuming you might be getting at).
P.S. I was good seeing you this morning at the Gathering Grounds… even if briefly. You and Chris are constantly in my prayers!
Comment by Jeremy — July 7, 2006 @ 7:12 am