A Teaching Priest

Today’s Word of Encouragement from Wayne:

"‘The Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him. For many days Israel was without the true God and without a teaching priest and without law.’"

2 Chronicles 15:2-3

Azariah, the prophet, spoke these words to king Asa, admonishing the people of Israel to be true to the Lord. Azariah was encouraging people to be faithful to "the true God,“ to actively listen to ”a teaching priest,“ and to obey the ”law." Why a teaching priest? Why not mention only to be true to God and the law? You see, without a teaching priest, people can easily conceptualize faithfulness and obedience as a matter of fact, of works only, while simultaneously distancing themselves from the very presence of God, even as they conceptualize their faith.

Whereas a teaching priest certainly does exhort faith and obedience to God and His covenant but, in addition, a teaching priest makes this a "matter of heart," which requires more responsiveness than “a matter of fact.” A teaching priest encourages people to be faithful and loving to God from the heart, with actual time before His presence. A teaching priest speaks truth of God and law and always points to the heart of the matter, well expressed in the words "The Lord is with you when you are with Him," A teaching priest leads by way of example, ministering before God in His presence (being “with Him” in real time) and then teaching others to do the same. A teaching priests knows God intimately, whereas a mere “talking head” might not even know God at all, but just be reading off the script.

Brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, become teaching priests. Minister to the Lord as a priest yourself, and then minister that truth, office, identity, and blessing to others. Things go better for the people of God when we walk with "the true God,“ and His ”law,“ and with ”a teaching priest" who explains the heart of the matter while always admonishing our full pursuit of God, to “seek Him” so that "He will let you find Him." Yes, let us seek Him and find Him and encourage all to do the same. Hallelujah!