The Story: Chapter 15 – God Messengers

Can You Hear Him Now?

 Verizon Wireless created one of the most memorable marketing campaigns ever in 2005.  In their commercials a so-called ”test man,” accompanied by a crowd of network engineers, travels the country asking the simple question, “Can you hear me now?” in an ongoing exercise to determine the reliability of the mobile phone carrier’s network.

 The “catch phrase” caught on.  The company’s market share went up and employee turnover went down.  It seemed people could relate to the struggle to connect.  Folks were tired of dropped calls and unreliable communication systems.  And Verizon sent a message that they wanted desperately to connect with its subscribers and wanted its subscribers to be able to connect with each other.

 At the risk of selling Him short, God has done the same.  Even when the Kingdom had split in two, He kept sending His message.  He gave the people of the DividedKingdom some 208 years to decide whether they would “accept” or “reject” His call.  He sent His own “technicians” to get the message out.  We call them “prophets.” Thirty eight kings where spoken to by 9 prophets and only one kingdom would listen and it wasn’t Israel, it was Nineveh.

This week we will look at God’s Upper plan as told through the story of Elisha and the Shunamite women.  As God once again declares that he is present, redeeming what is lost, and bring life to what is dead we are once again faced with the same question that Israel was faced with.  Are we in the midst of our unfaithfulness, willing to stop and listen to God.  Or are you more likely to put God on hold or send him to voicemail?

Question:

1.   The prophets challenged the people of God to turn from their evil ways back to the Lord.  These messages were parts of God’s loving plan for the salvation of the world.  Have you ever had someone challenge you to change your ways for the better?  How do you receive such messages?

2.  What is preventing you from seeing and hearing God?