JR. Forasteros - July 6, 2014

Obadiah

Major/Minor

In the face of tragedy, will we be agents for healing, or will we stand by and do nothing? The answer isn't found in the moment of the tragedy, but in the choices we make leading up to it. God spoke to Obadiah in the wake of the most devastating tragedy in Israel's history - the Babylonian conquest of Judah. Obadiah addressed not God's people, but their neighbors, the Edomites, who refused to aid Judah, and even aided the Babylonians in sacking Jerusalem. In God's warning to them, we hear a similar warning to enact justice now, in the small, every day choices we make.

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How many times have y’all had to participate in trust building exercises? Maybe it was in couples’ therapy. Or in school. Maybe in the workplace. 

I have a confession: I love those sorts of activities. I know most people hate them, but I think they’re so much fun. (What can I say: I’m an extrovert and I love games.) So whether it’s a trust fall or an obstacle course, sign me up!

We’re going to talk about trust today, so I was reviewing a bunch of these exercises. I think my favorite is the Blindfold Obstacle course. If you’ve never done this one, you set up an obstacle course – you can do it as simply as using chairs and string or something. Then you pair up. One person wears a blindfold and has to navigate the obstacle course. The other is only allowed to direct their partner using verbal cues. Stop! Turn left! Five steps forward! That sort of thing. 

This is a trust-building exercise because the person wearing the blindfold has to obey despite the fact that they can’t see. It also reveals how differently we communicate. You can’t complete a blindfold obstacle course without learning to communicate and trust.

Communication and trust – two essential aspects of a strong, faith-filled relationship. That’s true for our relationships with each other – romantic partners, business relationships, friendships – and it’s true of our relationship with God. 

What do trust-building exercises with God look like? That’s a trickier question, and one Jesus shows us the answer to.

Let’s explore how Jesus teaches us to grow a deeper, faith-filled relationship with our creator.

Join us Sunday as we learn how Jesus’ cross is an invitation to freedom.

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