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SHEMA: Hear and Obeyਨਮੂਨਾ

SHEMA: Hear and Obey

DAY 4 OF 4

Luke 12:32 may be one of the most breathtaking verses in all of scripture. Jesus looks at His followers—fragile, fearful, unsure—and says, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” God doesn’t just allow us into His Kingdom—He delights to entrust it to us. The phrase “good pleasure” carries the weight of resolve. This isn’t a reluctant gesture. It’s a determined one.

So why do so few of us live like heirs? Perhaps we’ve confused our kingdoms with His. We chase influence, clarity, and comfort—mistaking them for Kingdom. But Romans 14:17 tells us the Kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. These aren’t casual, manufactured virtues—they are costly, Spirit-wrought realities shaped in surrendered lives.

Trust roots us in Kingdom life, though it rarely grows in certainty. Many know the promises but miss the Person behind them. We crave plans and answers, but obedience rarely provides that kind of certainty. It often feels like walking blindfolded. That tension isn’t a flaw—it’s part of the formation process. God isn’t making us comfortable. He’s making us new. Ephesians 4 says the life He leads us into means a new mind and new self.

This is the battleground of real faith. John Kavanaugh, a Catholic priest and ethicist, once traveled to Calcutta to work with Mother Teresa, hoping to gain perspective on where his life with God was headed. When he asked her to pray for him, she replied, “What do you want me to pray for?” “Clarity,” he said. “No,” she answered. “Clarity is the last thing you’re clinging to—and you must let go of it.” When he asked why, she smiled and said, “I’ve never had clarity. What I’ve always had is trust. So I will pray that you trust God.”

Scripture tells us, “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is fully His” (2 Chronicles 16:9). He’s not scanning for perfection. He is looking for a shema heart. One that is soft enough to listen, brave enough to obey. When He finds it, something happens…

He moves. And the Kingdom moves with Him.

REFLECTION:
Is your heart in a posture to shema—ready to listen deeply and respond fully, no matter the cost?

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About this Plan

SHEMA: Hear and Obey

This four-day journey explores the ancient Hebrew word shema (שׁמע)—to hear and obey—and why it still shapes a life of true faith today. Slow down and consider a word that has anchored generations of faith. This devotional is written by Joe Riddle, Founder of Danger Close Consulting.

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