I am off now for some morning coffee and to get my heart prepared for this morning at the National. I am praying for a fresh sense of God's anointing. How is God stirring your heart this morning with regard to rejection?
Rob
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Reject: Reflecting on Last Night
I am sitting in the quietness of my study this morning thinking about last night (Saturday night Worship). I believe God's Spirit was working in a lot of hearts. I know my heart was being stirred. Specifically, I was asking God to give me consistent boldness in the face of rejection. It's easy to be bold while I am preaching or sitting in my study. But I want to be bold in the world where it counts! Oh God, help me to know when to speak or listen, correct or encourage, pray or preach, and prophesy or admonish.
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Had a GREAT peptalk from God this morning at The National. I was JUST having a converstion with a friend about this very thing -- being a witness to a family I knew who's beliefs differed from mine and feeling very intimidated. Thanks for delivering God's words to me about being a humble witness but standing firm in His ways and speaking them.
ReplyDeletehey, rob - i have really enjoyed being in amos the past couple weeks. i think there have been some really relevant applications with seeking the Lord and having a healthy view of rejection.
ReplyDeletein regards to rejection, you made a comment about our experience of rejection from someone who may not be a christian. as i was thinking about the passage we were in this past weekend, i was struggling to see that application. Amos' main pronouncement is against Amaziah (and because of the context in Amos, I am guessing Israel as well). If we fast forward to the present and make the connection that Christians are then ingrafted into Israel as God's children, it is difficult for me to see this passage of an example of how we might take rejection from someone who is not a follower of Jesus. (though there may be a connection to earlier in amos when there are clear pronouncements against Israel's neighbors). maybe you could comment on this?
It also seemed to me that a major theme in the passage was Israel's rejection of God. Amaziah says don't prophesy anymore b/c this is the "king's sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom". That was a huge red flag, b/c it probably should have read "the Lord's sanctuary" or something along those lines. I wonder what it looks like for us to hold those two pieces of rejection together (our willingness to be rejected for God, but also conviction of the ways we reject God ourselves). just some thoughts . . .
look forward to hearing feedback!
Even though you didn't ask for it (and I'm hurt by that...haha), I'm going to give you my take on the illustration. Amaziah was speaking out against the prophecy of Amos b/c what Amos was saying was in complete contradiction to what Amaziah actually stood for and it made him look like a fraud. When confronted with the truth Amaziah decided to try and take shots at the integrity of Amos which would be very similar to a reaction that we could get between a believer & non believer if for some reason it became confrontational. I understand that it isn't a true believer/non believer situation but it still works for me.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I got out of it at face value, though I do get what you are saying about the Israel part.
Maybe you were right to just wait on Rob...
Jason,
ReplyDeleteMy intent in the talk dealing with Rejection was to use the text as a way for us to learn about rejection from Amos rather than using it as a direct "apple to apples" comparison. You are technically correct that Amos was experiencing rejection from "a believer (Amaziah)" rather than an unbeliever. This in itself could be a strand of study out of this passage - rejection from the religious establishment!
However, there are enough parallels (at least that I see in the text) that warranted the direction we studied and applied the text 2 weeks ago. Hope this helps.
Rob