Prophesy To My People

BUT THE LORD TOOK ME FROM TENDING THE FLOCK AND SAID TO ME, 'GO, PROPHESY TO MY PEOPLE ISRAEL'. Amos 7.15.

I love prophet Amos’ simplicity, forthrightness, honesty and humility as he plainly tells every one about his humble past, especially to those who confronted him. He said, “I was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees” (v 14). I admire his conviction and boldness in declaring to them about God’s call on him – “But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel'.

Amos was a farmer and a shepherd. He didn’t know how to talk to people, let alone prophesy. There were no prophets in his family. But when God called him, he was willing and ready. The message and the enablement were from God. Amos stood before the people, the priests and the king and declared the Word of God without fear or favour. He was willing to be ridiculed, contradicted and even persecuted for the sake of bringing God’s message direct to the nation.

I feel a oneness with Amos, though I come from a family of preachers and pastors. Because, there ends our contrast. The rest of the story is somewhat similar. I was a young doctor. Never in my life had I stood before a group of people and said ‘ba’ or ‘boo!’ I didn’t have the nerves. I trembled. My knees shook. I couldn’t even pray in public! Once my grandfather put me down to preach in a ward in the mission hospital I worked at. I got up and excused myself and gave the pulpit back to him! Never again did he try to force me to become a preacher!

But increasingly, I felt the burden to testify about my Lord Jesus Christ to others. Missionary friends and other leaders encouraged and even pressed me on. I told the Lord, “I want to, but I cannot, unless you empower me by Your Holy Spirit”. Once the Holy Spirit came upon me, I received power and words began to tumble!” (Acts 1.8). I knew the Lord’s call was on me, 'Go, prophesy to my people!' I have never stopped. I seek increasing opportunities to testify, preach, teach, and write, to take the message of God to the people.

Dear friend, what about you? Do you know that you too have the same calling of God like the old prophet Amos and much later, the disciples, Peter and Andrew, James and John and all the others? If you think you are not called, read the gospels and hear the Lord say, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last" (Jn15.16). If you do not have the boldness, keep praying and wait on the Lord and receive the Holy Spirit's power. That is the promise of God and of Jesus Christ (Act 1.8). It is for you to act today and claim the promise and receive what is promised! Dear believer, this is not fiction but fact – eternal and divine, proved in my life and that of countless others throughout the ages.

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, let me hear Your call afresh and help me to respond. Let Your Holy Spirit come on me, I pray, in power and boldness to let others know You through my life, actions and words. Amen.