Getting God's Attention

Tonight, Matt and Lynn again asked me to lead the college group, since they were just coming off of At Hell’s Gate. I talked about “Getting God’s Attention.” But I started with an interesting foundation.

I began by defining what sin was according to Scripture. When we think of sin, we think of the big things or the obvious things. But according to 1 John 3.4

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

Lawlessness is the Greek word “Anomia” meaning the condition of being without the law because of ignorance or violation of the law. Then we broke it down even more. Why did Adam “sin” when he ate the fruit? Is eating fruit wrong? No, but disobeying God is. That was a heavy part of the discussion.

Then I talked about obedience, and how it causes God to turn and take notice.

But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.

When we are humble (fully dependant on God), contrite (totally broken before God), and tremble at His word, then He takes notice. Obedience is a MAJOR deal to God, and should be so to us.

We claim that we believe God and believe in God, but we don’t obey. This is contrary to Scripture, as belief and obedience were synonymous in the Word. In Hebrews 3, God is talking about how Israel could not enter God’s place of rest because of their diobedience. We all know they disobeyed. Then it uses an interesting set of words in verses 18 and 19.

And to whom was God speaking when he took an oath that they would never enter his rest? Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed him? So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest.

It uses disobedience and unbelief as the same thing. So to believe meant you obeyed, and to oeby meant you believed. Sad how we no longer walk that way. But God never changes, his laws and principles remain.

So in a nutshell, to get God’s attention, obey Him. It amazed me (not really) how much this word peirced me personally. I realized that I am not totally walking in obedience to God, and that is hindering some of the things that He wants to do through me. May I always be someone that walks in obedience to You, Lord.