Posted on March 13, 2022 Posted By: HCCCategories: journey
Heartland Community Church
THE JOURNEY
All Access: Obedience & Security
By Bill McMurtrey
Have you ever felt things just weren’t going your way? That no matter which door you opened, or corner you turned, you didn’t find yourself going where you wanted to go? Maybe you felt lost. Not necessarily in life overall, but in a situation?
Recently I heard a woman speak about how she tries to do the best she can and, if it doesn’t work out, she then asks God. During her talk I could feel her pain, I’m sure others in attendance could as well. It may seem that empathy is in short supply these days but I assure you, caring for others is not a lost art. The sense I gained was not that she was trying to do it on her own because she didn’t believe, love and worship God, but that she felt she wasn’t worthy to go to God first for her troubles. That the God had bigger things to do than be there for her.
Can you relate? I know that I can, absolutely I can. That has been an area of struggle for me for many, many years. Struggle is a real word. But so is obedience. Obedience in the inverse (meaning opposite) of struggle. Do you know what other adjectives are contrasts to struggle? I think of reconcile, make peace, ease, and relief. And what words are synonymous with obedience? Compliant, dutiful, respectful. Don’t all of those words sound like the things God himself wants for us? I believe that they do.
I’ve always lived a life of prayer, but I’ve mostly prayed for others, rarely if ever asking for anything for myself. I did once when I was 23 and got hurt. I had my first bad motorcycle accident, was in a wheelchair, and would relearn to walk. I remember saying to God that if I did learn to walk again, I would do something good for someone every day for the rest of my life. Funny thing I know now that I didn’t realize back then? We don’t get to make deals with God. He gives us what we work for.
That experience changed my life in a good way. The next 5 years after the crash were pretty hard at times, but I learned that giving it all to God, all of it, all the time, good times and bad times, is how he wants us to be obedient.
It’s biblical. In Psalm 1:1-2 it says: Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.
You see, by being obedient we don’t have to set out to change the world, but to give it all, to God.
Observe, Reflect, Apply: As you listened to the message Sunday, and as you read the story in Luke about building on a solid foundation, what do you notice? If you contrast your life today with these verses, what do you see? Where can you repair or shore up your foundation of faith? Where can you celebrate standing firm on your foundation? What does obedience have to do with security? What is Jesus inviting you to try this week?
{bible reading plan: book of hebrews}
For the next few months, we invite you to engage the Bible differently along with us. Each week we will be reading a book from Hebrews 4 times, in 4 ways, as directed below. Instead of daily verses, you are free to engage in the practice outlined below as a "choose your adventure". You might do this all in one sitting, or choose to do an exercise a day. We’d love to hear your feedback, just drop an email to Lisa Zulke.
For an overview of Hebrews, watch this 8 minute video from our friends at The Bible Project.
Read the passage slowly, sitting with it and allowing it to frame and fill your mind. Listen for a single word or phrase that catches your attention. Something you want to ponder further or hold on to.
What word or phrase caught your attention?
"I heard _____________________________________________"
The second time you read the passage, reflect on what you have heard. Use your imagination to put yourself in the story, in the context of this letter to the Hebrew people. What do you THINK or NOTICE? What do you SEE? What do you FEEL? What do you LEARN about Jesus? What QUESTIONS are you pondering about Jesus in this reading? Engaging our senses invites curiosity about what we have read.
"I saw, I felt, I noticed _____________________________________"
The third time you read the passage, listen specifically for a personal invitation. What am I being invited to consider? What am I being invited to do or try? Sit quietly and listen. Pray, asking God for insight into what he wants to share with you.
"I believe Jesus is inviting me to ___________________________"
After the fourth reading, respond to Hebrews 7. Read it again, and noodle on what you’ve experienced and taken note of so far. What are you sensing or hearing from Jesus or about Jesus? Pray, inviting Jesus to nudge you in a decision: what am I going to do with what I’ve heard? How will I act on it? How might I integrate it into my daily life?
"I will __________________________________________________"
{extra journey resources}
CLICK HERE to visit The Bible Project site and explore their super simple, super informative Bible videos (and other resources). You can also download The Bible Project App HERE.
CLICK HERE to get the Read Scripture App, from our friends at The Bible Project.
CLICK HERE for more on how to use the observe-reflect-apply approach to getting the most out of your Bible reading.
The Bible App Get the free YouVersion Bible for your phone, tablet, or computer. Experience the Bible anywhere, with options to highlight, save notes, and share what you are reading with others.
The Bible App For Kids YouVersion partnered with OneHope to develop the Bible App for Kids, designing it specifically to engage children with Bible stories on an age-appropriate level. The Bible App for Kids is a free app for Android, Apple, and Kindle devices, available in over 60 languages.
Bible Gateway Provides advanced Bible searching capabilities, which allow readers to find passages in scripture based on keywords, phrases, or scripture reference.
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