Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
Have you ever been talking to somebody—especially if you're giving them instructions—and you just know they're not paying attention? Isn't that frustrating? You know you're trying to give them instructions, and you can tell because they're not listening. They're not going to do this right because they're not paying attention.
A College Memory
When I was in college. I used to work till 2:00 in the morning in security, and then in the morning I would get up. My first hour class was at 7:20, and I really had a hard time staying awake during my class. Bless my professor's heart. Imagine if in that kind of setting, I walked into the room, put my books underneath my desk, and I just put my head down on my desk and slept during the entire time.
When it came time for a test or an exam, I would go to the professor and say: "Oh my goodness, I need the answers. I need to know what's going on with this test."
I would love to have that lens when we look at our Verse of the Day today about paying attention—paying close attention as we learn the truth.
It's Hebrews chapter 2, verse 1. "So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it."
What a powerful reminder, especially in the context of people not listening to our instructions or being in a professor's classroom with a professor and we don't pay attention. Then all of a sudden a test or a challenge comes. We realize we actually haven't been listening carefully to what's being taught, or the instructions, or the truth.
We are Bombarded with Distractions
I'm sure you agree with me, we all have so many different distractions in life today, don't we? Especially with all the information—we're bombarded with information that we never had to this level before. So much distraction. Yet we're being told in this verse: "Pay close attention. Be careful to listen to the truth."
Angels vs. Jesus
The context of this passage is that the writer or author of Hebrews is talking about the role of angels because there seemed to be at the time some confusion about the role of angels and how much they play in our lives, what elevation they have, and how important they should be in our lives.
Some of that is going on today—an elevation of angels and the priority of angels. The importance of angels in this passage is talking about the value, and nothing compares. The angels do not compare to the elevation of Jesus in our lives or in our faith, or the impact on us.
The Big Takeaway
It's really, really important. The big takeaway isn't necessarily just the topic of angels and the role of Christ, although the role of Christ in our life is the most critical thing in our life. But this passage really is about paying careful attention to the truth. It says, "Listen very carefully to the truth."
Silence Teaches a Lesson
As we talk about that, we can just start. We know if you're now paying close attention because I stopped talking—or at least you didn't hear anything. There wasn't anything wrong with the video. That's actually to prove a point as we close out.
When we have a lack of communication, now all of a sudden we pay closer attention. Sometimes you may think you're not hearing from God, but God gave us so much in His Word that He wants you to dive into, and He wants you to get into so that you are careful to know and learn and listen to the truth.
God's Word is our Water
God has so much for you in His Word. I would just love to close by sharing the lyrics to a song. It's called "I Thirst." It says:
Walking through the desert of this thing we call life,
The sands of sin surround me with Satan's awful plight.
The heat pounding upon me, the pressures of this world,
My soul drying within me.
I cry out for the Lord:
Where is the water of Your Word?
I'm searching for the spring of life that I once heard.
Show me now the well of life that never will run dry.
Quench this longing thirst for You.
Before this weary soul dies.
Temptation swirls around me and whips against my face.
How can I continue in this godless place?
There's too many around me who fallen on their way.
The vultures circle over. I hit my knees to pray.
Where is the water of Your Word?
I'm searching for the spring of life that I once heard.
Show me now the well of life that never will run dry.
Quench this longing thirst for You.
Before this weary soul dies.
That is where we have to be. To understand that every day as we're going through this life, we're surrounded by a desert. In life, God's Word is our water to quench the thirst. As Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
Thirst for His truth today.
