Dr. Ozzie Smith on "The Place Where Heaven Will Touch the Earth"

Amen Dr. Stephens! This first-person message from Micah is informative, inspiring, and inviting. My attention did not waver as this message spoke of then as now. Seeing the world then and now through a prophet's eyes and voice is quite different from what hearers often hear. Prophets were often resident-aliens to their contexts. Dr. Leonard Sweet coined the term, ancient/future, which seems to describe the tone of this message--it takes you there and here! Faith is not necessarily a hedged-bet for success in doing God's will in order to have success, but a risk in order to "be" faithful. It is hanging in there for the long-term in patient waiting and knowing that God will have the last word and determine the final outcome.

I had the pleasure of visiting friends in ministry in Towson Maryland this past Sunday, the Rev Ann Lightner-Fuller and her husband Rev Dr. Stanley Fuller. They gave me a button bearing these words, "Just One!" Micah helps us to see that God's uses "just one" to send a word into an angst-driven world. It only takes, "just one" to get God's message across. The Bible and history tell us of the many "just ones" who caused nations to listen. Assyrias, Baylons, and Romes will always hang around as ominous threats. Yet, out of Bethlehem God would birth "just one" who would change the world and send wise men home another way! Jesus was/is the one who made/makes a difference in lives, "one" at a time. Joy to the world, the Lord is come! For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth! Prophets still come to get our heads out of the sands of our gritty times.

Thanks Rev Stephens for a powerful and timely word. Thanks Day1 for the lift!

--Ozzie Smith