Deuteronomy 18:15-20 (NRSV)
Read Deuteronomy 18:15-20 on biblegateway.com
Verse 15The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet. Verse 16This is what you requested of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said: "If I hear the voice of the Lord my God any more, or ever again see this great fire, I will die." Verse 17Then the Lord replied to me: "They are right in what they have said. Verse 18I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I command. Verse 19Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable. Verse 20But any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, or who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak-that prophet shall die."
Devotion
The people were frightened, so God stepped back. God's face and form on the mountain seemed too deadly, so God would send someone like Moses to tell God's people who they were and how to live. Because words matter.
Centuries pass. And now God declares a man named Jesus "Son" and commands the hearers, "Listen to him." But surprisingly this Jesus steps outside even the bounds of Moses and the prophets to speak and enact a new understanding of God's love for foreigners, lepers and criminals. He is killed in part because some think he is falsely representing God—because words, especially words about God and people matter. On this day, we need to keep open to the words that God speaks to us.
Prayer
God of Truth, let your words matter most, and let our words honor you. We are your priests and prophets now: speaking the Word of Christ, enacting your out-of-bounds grace and truth. Amen.