Spiritual keys unlock mysteries

Psalm 40:6-8 — “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire; my ears you have opened. Burnt offerings and sin offering You did not require, Then I said, ‘Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is written within my heart.’”

Truly how many verses of scriptures flood through your mind regarding “God’s Will”?

For me the ninth and tenth verse were a life preserving lifeline. Allow me to write those verses out to frame the lifeline.

Hebrews 10:9 — “Then He said, ‘Here I am, I have come to do Your will.’”

Hebrews 10:10 — “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

The verses found in the tenth chapter of Hebrews is incredibly important in coming to understand Christ as our sacrificial lamb and His place as our hight priest.

The phrases “Here I am” and “I have come to do Your will O God.” Came to mean or rather took on a living step of faith for me.

A few years ago I had some significant health issues along with complicated insurance difficulties as well. I could barely walk, standing for any length of time was almost impossible.

I had the feeling my time in the Lord’s service was about to end, Especially as my movements became more and more limited.

Perhaps your familiar with Isaiah 6:8 — “And I heard the voice of the Lord Saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ then I said, ‘Here I am, send me.’”

I have to admit I hadn’t previously studied that passage before, and I didn’t jump into study action either. I simply remembered the verse.

The words of Isaiah rolled around in my mind like marbles in the overhead compartment. I finally used them in a prayer, a prayer filled with anxiety, self-doubt, self-pity, and a glimmer of hope.

I was in my mid-30s when I was introduced to the path of ministry. I finally found my calling, my niche in life. And here I was about to lose it because of health issues. I actually felt I would be relieved of duty as soon as it became common knowledge that my abilities had been compromised.

“Here I am — I have come to do your will, O God” had become my focus. I would wake up every morning voicing those words prayerfully.

“Gracious Father, I realize my time of service is short, may I rise to do Your will.”

Sure enough, without surgery, without medications my heath was restore. I joined every club or volunteered with every group here on Kodiak that would have me. Plus my own duties and responsibilities.

Several years later those health issues returned. The difference? The insurance issues — rules of prior or pre-existing had been removed from the insurance policies.

The necessary surgery was scheduled. The recovery was touch and go for a while. I remember right after the surgery the surgeon came in and said, “Things went fairly well. If you don’t do anything stupid you might get 10 years out of this, maybe.”

Well that was 16 years ago, and I must admit I pushed the limits and done many stupid things to jeopardize my health and yet as the scriptures of 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “But He said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee.”

But a spiritual key for me lies in Hebrews 10:8 — “First He said, ‘Sacrifice and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them.’”

Verse nine — “Then He said, ‘Here I am, I have come to do your will.’”

Some of the keys to spirituality seem foolish until they begin to unlock the mysteries.

Can I explain this part of my testimony? No, I can only share it. For me the spiritual key isn’t about sacrifices of bulls and goats but of being of service to God by serving others.

Psalm 51:16-17 says, “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God will not despise.”

In “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” there’s a scene where Dr. Jones is standing at the edge of a deep, dark cavern. He has to get to the other side, but there is no visible way. All he has is a book telling him the way, the passage is there. It requires a step of faith. So with all the suspense, drama of the moment he takes that first step of faith ... his foot lands on solid ground then the camera rolls to the side revealing the rock passage.

God wants spiritual fruit not religious nuts. 

The scriptures tell us in 1 Samuel 15:22 — “But Samuel replied: ‘Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.’”

I am by no means a spiritual giant or guru. A simple believer sharing, God is Faithful!