Warnings from Heaven

Great passage studied on Sunday, Hebrews 12.  Verse 25 says, "See that you do not refuse Him who is speaking."  There is no question in that verse as to whether or not God talks to us.  He does, plain and simple.  He is speaking to us all the time.  We either have our ears closed or we simply refuse to acknowledge, not unlike my children when I call them away from their fun, that God is speaking to us.

The second half of the verse is powerful, too as it says he "warns from heaven".  When He is speaking to us He is often sending a warning.  When Christ lived on earth He gave many warnings, but "they refused him".  What does that look like, refusing Him?  I can only think it meant that people just kept living the way they wanted, pretending He didn't exist, yet "they did not escape" the passage says.

There is going to be a time of "shaking" coming.  The Bible says this will be a "removal of of things that are shaken - that is, things that have been made - in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain." (vs. 27)  In other words are we investing in the things of eternal worth, things that "cannot be shaken"?  Will what we do on earth stand the test of that coming shaking?  We, as a family, are often challenged by the decisions we make about our children as we aren't doing what everyone is doing by a long shot, but we are trying to keep a heavenly, eternal perspective.  We realize the souls of our children are at stake!  So we may approach life and parenting quite differently, but we actually think that is a good thing!  Verse 28 assures me that this is good, to continue to live in a way that is pursuing things of eternal worth.  By doing this we will receive a kingdom, it says, "that cannot be shaken".  It says, "therefore let us be grateful".  I need to be grateful for a husband who leads our family and has this eternal perspective.  Living life differently can have its challenges as we appear to not be going with the flow.  My daughter once heard us say to another child, "Just go with the flow!"  She was so certain this was a fun place, she started saying over and over, "Can I go with the flow?!  I want to go with the flow?  Where is the flow?"  She was only 2 or 3 at the time, so cute. But, in actuality, we need to not go with the flow. Things of eternal value are often against the flow.

Scripture gives us resolve.