catapult magazine

I know this is very broad but: what is a man of God? Try as I might I don’t feel like I’m a very good one.

I used to think I was one, but now I don’t think I really know what it really means. I think it’s pretty intense and usually involves a lot of heartache.

Hello Adam and Eddie,

What is a Man of God? I suppose we tend to think in terms of a ‘spiritual’ output and say things like: He always comes to the prayer meeting, he’s a real a man of God. Or, he reads his Bible everyday, so he must be a Man of God.

BUT, on looking at some OT scriptures it seems to me that MofG are stranger than strange; non-conventional, non-conformist types, who appear when most unexpected, but always when most needed, to paraphrase Tolkein!

They are men of mystery. Look at Judges ch13. The woman doesn’t know if the word was given by an angel or a ’ man of God’! They were obviously feared by the local populus, as they felt the need to bring a gift, before they consulted them. (1 Sam ch9) So, yes worrying types. In 1 Kings ch13, they could appear by a way unknown, deliver a word or provide worrying miracles (shrivelling a hand) and couldn’t return by the same way as they came!! If they were duped by another lying prophet their life was forfeit! Seems particularly contrived, but still the MofG was punished for believing a lie!

Lastly in 1 Kings ch20 v28, they seem to know what has been spoken of in secret and tell those around of an impending victory!

By modern standards a MofG is weird, but I don’t think that being weird means your are a Man of God. It takes a little more cultivation than that!!!!!!!!!

Geoff

I used to think just doing God’s Will with as much Calvinistic work ethic as you could muster made you a man of God, but I’m realizing more and more that men of God have a really strong prayer life which enables them to be fitted more snugly into His Will. I am in awe of the prophets and their relationship with God, the way they demand things of Him and sometimes get what they demand!

Hi Grant,

Do you think the prophets had/have a greater sense of mystery in their walk with God? Seems to me the demands of a prophet are greater than those who just pursue the protestant/calvinistic work ethic.

This aligns the contemporary artistes with a prophetical mission for life? Perhaps?

Geoff

I think maybe the prophets were much more confused and unsure about what they were doing than we often think. N.T. Wright’s analysis of Daniel and of Jesus has really shaped the way I see this human walk with God as a mysterious working out of God’s Will despite the uncertainty of the prophet. We think of a man of God as a sure and faithful servant who already knows the outcome of his actions, but the reality is that these men of God were often bargaining with God on what they would or would not, could or could not do. I think they had strong faith, but were often still surprised at God’s response. N.T. Wright’s portrayal of Jesus even portrays him in the Garden of Gethsemane as a man who trusts God the father will vindicate him, but who is still limited by human limitations. Jesus, the true “man of God” represents and lives out this very mystery of doing God’s Will in the hope that God will do what he has promised He will do.
I suppose I can see a connection to the work of an artist and probably many kinds of work. At least with art, one pursues something they think might be possible for several years sometimes and even up to the last moments of its unveiling, they don’t know if all that work was in vain. And then, mysteriously, it all comes together and works, as they hoped it would all along, and sometimes beyond their greatest expectations.