Can We Handle the Truth?

1 Kings 22:1-28

The kings of Israel and Judah were considering war against Aram but they consulted first with about four hundred prophets, all of whom assured the kings of victory. But one prophet, Micaiah, was not there, so the kings sent for him. According to the reading, “The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, ‘Look, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king; let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.’ But Micaiah said, ‘As the Lord lives, whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak’” (1 Kings 22:13-14).

This, of course, is the great challenge facing the Church in all ages, whether to say what people want to hear or to declare what the Church believes God to be saying. Telling people what they want to hear will always make one more popular, but will it actually lead the Church where God wishes it to go? There will be differences of opinion, of course, and differences of interpretation, but if we are serious about serving God in our time and place, we must insist that God’s word be sought with a spirit of honesty and integrity, not with an eye toward gratifying a congregation. Not only that, but those who wish to proclaim God’s word must be open to the new things that God is doing and to prayerfully reflecting on God’s word at all times.

There are sermons that I would rather not have to preach, words that I would rather not have to share. But in the prophet Micaiah I find inspiration to do what I believe to be right, as opposed to popular, and to allow God to work through me as God wills.

Prayer: Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my rock and my redeemer. In Jesus’ name. Amen. (From Psalm 19:14)