Trouble

I have always had a fascination with John the Baptist. There are some parallels in my own life and faith journey that allows me to have a spiritual kinship with John. Maybe this also explains why I am where I am in the church today... (sigh)

In my devotional time today, the author makes these statements regarding the person of John.

Always pointing beyond himself, ready to get out of the way, finally beheaded by the powers that be, John represents the kind of liberation and the kind of prophecy that we need in our affluent culture. He is not just free from the system, he is amazingly free from himself. These are the only prophets God can use, the only prophets we can trust... Trouble us, John!

The wilderness/desert has taught me more (in the 18 months) than the 28 years I've been in the church. I am not one to make the statement that I am a prophet. I do believe a lot of what I've been thinking/feeling and saying has had prophetic meaning. And I know it is troubling people in this affluent culture. People in the church aren't ready for that kind of message... they have their Joel Olsteens and Prayer of Jabezes... We aren't free from the system. Hell, we still aren't free from ourselves.

I guess writer Flannery O'Connor said it best of our present circumstances:

Truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.