Life Requires Basically One Thing: Pay Attention!

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
Hebrews 13 (click the link)


FOCAL PASSAGE:
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21, NIV)


THE BIG IDEA:
God does not call us to do anything that He has not equipped us for.


REFLECTIONS:
When I taught 6th grade, I wrote this on the board and left it there all year… "Life requires basically one thing: Pay attention."  Isn’t it so true? I can walk through life as if I’m brain dead.  It truly is a miracle that I’ve survived this far. (I heard that) God reminds us in Hebrews, there are things worth paying attention to. 

Someone once said that the Christian life is not difficult… it is impossible!  We can do nothing apart from Christ. How is it I forget that so easily? Well, because it’s all about me.  (If there is one thing I have figured out, it’s that.) And yet to be a follower of Christ, we need to actually follow Him. Our heavenly Father wants our full and undivided attention—to fix our eyes on Jesus. It is as if He is saying, “Look at me!”

How do you and I know what is important to Him, apart from pouring over his letters to us?  Engaging Him in conversation?  Seeking to understand: what is this thing He has done for us?  Why is it important?  How does it work itself out in our everyday, self-involved, brain dead lives?

After all, it is a personal relationship isn’t it?  Christ made it personal.  His life for mine.  He bought me for a price.  Divine blood was shed for me.  My life is not my own.  And in that transaction He promises to "equip you (and me) with everything good for doing His will" (verse 21).  Wow, what a deal!

First He rescues me and then He gives me the keys to the Kingdom.

Now this is where it gets a little more challenging.  Imbedded in Hebrews 13, is a reiteration, a confirmation, of Christ’s eternal, divinely given authority over my life.

He is the Great High Priest.  He and He alone has the credentials to enter the Most Holy Place to offer His own shed blood as The Sacrifice for our sins; yours and mine, for all time; Once, for all.

Jesus, pay attention, has the right “to put into our lives whatever He wants, and take out whatever He wants, with no complaining on our part, and no explanation on His.”

Are you OK with that?

Am I OK with that?

Do I live my life implicitly trusting Him for the results of my life?  For resolution of the circumstances of my life?  Is He truly the Lord of my life? 

Here’s the good part… According to Hebrews 13, He will never give up on me.  He will defend me.  He will provide for and equip me.  His plan is unchanging.  His love unconditional.  His grace unlimited.  His mercy unqualified.  Just as it was yesterday, is today and will be tomorrow.

Christ, who now sits in the position of honor, at the right hand of the Father, and who intercedes for me (advocates for me), writes this prayer through the author of Hebrews:

"May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant (the promise the Creator of the universe, who knit us together in our mother’s womb, made to us in eternity past to be fulfilled through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross) brought back from the dead (resurrected) our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep (who leaves the sheep to find you and me and bring us to Life) equip you with everything good for doing His will (His good and pleasing will) and may He work in us (it’s an inside job) what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.  Amen.” (verses 20-21) 

We are here to bring God glory.  Somehow, someway, we are His glory.  And only He can accomplish that in us, and through us.

It’s not about me, it’s about “Christ in me, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). 

POINT OF ACTION:

To live my life—with intentionality—as if Christ matters.

PRAYER:

Lord, I cannot save myself.  I cannot heal myself.  I cannot transform myself… but You can.  You are my in all, be all and through all.  Work out your love, grace and mercy, in and through me, so that I might bring glory to your name.  In the name that is above all names, Jesus, the Christ.  Amen.

WHO AM I?

I’m Tom Fisk.  I’m not crazy.  It just seems that way.  I’m a just a guy trying to figure this out.  My goal is to get over myself.  Just understand, I have nothing to give apart from what Christ has given to me.