Touch not my anointed....

Rev. Tetteh-Annor Larbi | July 25, 2023 | Matthew 22:7-10

KEY VERSE:

The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Matthew 22:7 (NIV)

MESSAGE:

The title of our devotion today is “Touch not my anointed…” This is borrowed from 1 Chronicle 16:22 and Psalm 105:15. A lot of us are very stereotyped and prejudiced about the use of this phrase and hearing of this piece of scripture. We see it as the excuse of some men of God to try to gag people who want to talk about some of their practices, actions, and inactions. Practices we think are out of taste with what we know and believe. These men of God quickly throw in this phrase when they are confronted about some of their practices.

As much as we have the right to challenge these servants of God because of what we think we know should be done, they also have a right to please the king who called and sent them. So I have told people that, before you decide to stand up to want to speak against any servant of God’s actions, you better secure God’s backing first on that matter, otherwise you could land yourself in trouble with God Himself.

Our text today, speaks of the king (God) getting furious about the killing of the servants, the ones he sent out to call the invited guests to the wedding feast, and as a result, unleashing His wrath on the murderers and destroying their city.

The fact remains that God jealously guards His servants and will come to their defence and even avenge them when they are treated wrongly and in a way that makes them suffer some form of pain or even death. His judgement will come on anyone who maltreats or mistreats the servants He has called and sent out, who are answerable directly and primarily to him and accountable for the various assignments He has sent them out to perform.

David knew this fact and therefore did not maltreat King Saul, even though he had the opportunity to do so. Miriam and Aaron had to learn it the hard way after speaking against Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. (Numbers 12:1-15).

FEET AND HANDS OF THE MESSAGE

Speaking against the servants God has sent to us and set over us, does not please God. Dishonouring and mistreating the servants of God does not honour God. Think about the ways in which we mistreat and maltreat God’s servants today. They are accountable and answerable to God who called and sent them. Let us not shirk our responsibility towards the servants God has sent to us, to serve us with His word, for if we honour them, we honour God Himself who sent them.

PRAYER Heavenly Father, I repent of any maltreatment and mistreatment I have contributed to, towards any of your called servants. Help me to honour you by honouring them. For your dear name’s sake. Amen.

THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS SHOWERS! BLESSING!!