Hope Road

In the first session of New Attitude, Josh Harris spoke about the ways three different people responded to God’s Word (listen here). These are some of my notes and thoughts. I hope they make sense; they might seem a little disconnected. The images he gave are very powerful. And I didn’t even remember the story of Jehoiakim, so it was great to hear it afresh.

   1.   Ripping: Josiah (2 Kings 22)

• He turned to the Lord with all his heart by responding to, loving and obeying His Word.
• My heart is revealed in the way I respond to God’s Word.
• An entire generation had forgotten the Word and had no anchor.
• When the documents were found, Josiah tore his robes. This was an expression of despair, anguish, and humility.
• He took it seriously. He knew that God really meant it, and that it was speaking to him.
• The important question is not, “God, do you hear me?” but, “Do I hear God?”
• What moves, owns, and preoccupies me?
• Josiah allowed the Word to reform and reshape him. Returning to the Word = reformation. I need to change.

   2.   Burning: Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 36)

• Fearing God means not treating Him and His Word flippantly or lightly.
• Jehoiakim had a cold heart. He destroyed the Word and got it out of the way.
• He had no fear of God; he felt safe because he was surrounded by others who agreed with him.
• How do we burn God’s Word? By ignoring it, approaching it with a pick-and-choose mentality, or acting like a connossieur of preaching instead of humbling ourselves and listening.

   3.   Eating: Jeremiah (Jeremiah 15)

• You eat something you trust - something that’s good, healthy, and nourishing. It becomes a part of you.
• Jeremiah approached the Word with anticipation, joy, and excitement, even though…
• …his experience was rejection and loneliness; “I have missed out on all the joys of this life.”
• He had to fight for delight in the midst of discouragement.
• God’s Word meets us right where we are.
• His Word speaks perfectly when I am not doing perfectly, and is powerful when I am weak.
• We don’t love God’s Word to establish our standing, but because He established it for us.
• “If you utter what is precious and not what is worthless” - lay aside the accusations and believe. He is good!
• The Bible becomes a delight when we realize its central truth - it is not about everything we are supposed to be doing for God; instead, it is about everything He has done for us.

Filed under: Christianity, Scripture on May 29th, 2008