"I Need You to Pay Attention"

Scripture: "We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away." -Hebrews 2:1, NIV

God has blessed each of us to make it through some kind of school, whether if it was just high school, community college, a four-year college or university, seminary, culinary school or some other school. In any case, while you were in school, it was important to listen to what the teacher/instructor/professor was saying. In other words, you had to pay attention. Do you remember back in the days of either elementary, middle, or high school where you was talking and the teacher called you out and said, "I need you to pay attention"? Well, in the spirit realm, God is requiring each and every one of us to do the same. How can I make this statement? Today's text provides some insight.

Today, our devotional journey brings us to the book of Hebrews. According to Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, the theology behind Hebrews can be summed up in one word: Christology. The book focuses its energy on the person we know as Jesus and His redemptive achievements. Within this 2nd chapter of Hebrews, the writer gives warning to pay attention and discusses how Christ is made like His brothers.

The text starts off by saying, "we must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard". In other words ladies and gentlemen, not only are we to pay attention, but we are to pay more CAREFUL attention. We are to pay more careful attention to what we have heard. Brothers and sisters, there are many times where the enemy can use someone to sound like God's man/woman, but it's on you, man of God and it's on you, woman of God, to listen closely and discern what's not of God and what's of God. The Word makes mention that we ought to try the spirit by the spirit and see if the spirits either attract or repel. Also, Jesus gave us the parable of the four various types of soils and how one type of soil choked out the seed that was trying to grow. You can cool believe that there are people, assigned by Satan himself, who tries on a regular basis to choke out the Word that God has placed in your belly. Why is it vitally important to pay more careful attention to what you have heard?

The writer closes the text by saying, "so that we do not drift away". There's a song that's sung in churches today that goes a little something like this:

There's a storm out,
On the ocean and it's moving this way,
If your soul is not anchored in Jesus,
You will surely drift away!

The message that God is trying to convey to you today is that if you are attentive in your listening, you will not drift away! Your energy will be focused on Him and that you will be able to get the job done! Back to the school example I used earlier, when you paid attention, you understood the material and were able to get good grades and make your parents proud! Well, if you do the same for the Almighty God, He will be proud as well and not only is He the parent, but He is also the teacher/professor/instructor. When you are doing His will and being attentive to Him and your surroundings, then you will pass this class called life with flying colors! You will be an Honor Roll student!

In closing, it's important to tune your ears into Heaven's doors that God will give us encouraging words and words of wisdom and advice. My prayer for you is that you become the student listening to your Teacher that you may pass life with flying colors and not be the student who flunked because they were too busy being chatty!