Observation: It's a weird image. We typically think of God wanting to enlighten, to share truth. But in this passage (probably written about the siege of Jerusalem by the Assyrian army in 701 BCE) for a time, God has made the prophets "blind, drunk and illiterate". Some times our "not getting it" is part of God's plan.
Application: Feeling as though there's something I should know and understand, but don't, something I should be able to do, but can't, is torture for me. For most of us, in fact. In the 3DM movement of Christian Discipleship, this is the second of four stages--known as "D2", or "conscious incompetence". It's the hardest part. It means making a fool of yourself, and making big mistakes in front of everyone. Yes, it's a step ahead of "unconscious incompetence", where you don't even know there's a better way, but in a way it's worse. Knowing God wants you to do or understand something, but knowing right now you don't get it and can't do it, is. The. Worst. It's understandably when almost everybody gives up.
But. It's part of the process. It's how you get to D3, "conscious competence", where you know what to do AND how to do it, and D4, "unconscious competence", where you don't even have to think about it anymore, you just do it as second nature. Before all that comes not getting it. Stumbling around like you're blindfolded and drunk. It's no fun, but this, too, is from God. It's the world--and indeed, the Evil One--who wants us to always feel we're awesome at everything from the word "go", and not try anything we won't hit out of the park on our first at bat. The Lord wants us to grow.
Prayer: God, thank you for the blessing of not getting it. Thank you for frustration, for incompetence, for that awful feeling that this all would be easier for someone else. Thank you for the hard days. Thank you for growth. Amen.
Thank you for this posting, Pastor Tim. On some level I know I have to "get there" the hard way because then I never forget the message.
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