A CLASSIC SONG by American blues artist Muddy Waters poses the question, "Why don't you live so God can use you?" Muddy Waters, "Why don't you live so God can use you?". July 20-24, 1942, First Recording Sessions, 1941-1946, complied by Johnny Parth, Documents Records, © 1992 . When it comes to the prophets in the Bible, from Amos to Zechariah, this is precisely what they did. Their conscious efforts to listen for God's voice, and to repeat to others what they heard from Him, rescued and healed individuals, families, and even entire nations.
There is a place for prophets today. Each one of us is called to speak and to live the deep spiritual truths that redeem life from the influence of day-to-day materiality.
Most people think of prophecy as foretelling the future. Yet Bible prophets didn't just predict future events; they stated spiritual truths. They understood that God was unfolding a divine plan for humanity. Time and again, they called the Hebrew nation from preoccupation with worldliness to the worship of one God. As part of that call, they predicted the consequences of disobedience to the laws of the Holy One of Israel. Yet they also communicated the enormous good that naturally results from following God's direction. The prophets' vision of what was to occur went beyond human observation and analysis. So can ours.
