The Compass

A Daily Personal Reflection & Small Group Discussion Guide

by John Hay, Jr.
Senior Pastor, West Morris Street Free Methodist Church

Series: Isaiah for the 21st Century
Week's focus: "Satisfied? "
Scriptures: Isaiah 55
Week of: February 19, 2006

TRACKING THE WORD IN WORSHIP
Principles for finding and living in God's satisfying grace

1. PARTAKE and INVEST in what matters most.
Isaiah 55:1-3a

2. Seize the moment of God's AVAILABILITY to be TRANSFORMED-again and again.
Isaiah 55:6-7

3. Don't try to REDUCE God down to your own terms.
Isaiah 55:8-9

Our ways vs God’s way
Pay the penalty vs Forgive the debt
“Shame on you” vs “Christ in you”
Hold grudges vs Forgets the offense
“People can’t really change" vs “The old is gone, the new has come”
Control people vs Release for purpose
“Justice” vs Mercy
Fear, mistrust vs Faith, rigorous trust

4. To be effective, COOPERATE with God's Word.
Isaiah 55:10-13

4 Ways to Cooperate with God’s Word

(1) LISTEN. Listen with your open heart—again and again and again

(2) YIELD. Lay down your resistances and arguments with God’s Word

(3) FOLLOW. Follow the lead and direction God’s Word makes clear

(4) DO & CELEBRATE. All creation echoes “Amen!” as we do the Word

READ, REFLECT, RESPOND
Explore the Word in personal devotions or in a small group

1. Read Isaiah 55:1-3a. Make a mental inventory of the purchases or significant investments of time or personal resources you have made in the past month. Which do you consider necessary and which might be categorized as useful but not necessary? Perhaps other purchases or investments were neither useful nor necessary. How much satisfaction do you think you, your family, or others derived from these purchases or investments? Discuss your responses or write about them in your spiritual journal.

2. Write a brief journal entry or share in your small group one or two ways you believe God has quenched a spiritual thirst, satisfied a heart hunger, or brought life and renewal to your soul. You could write or speak of your conversion experience or of more recent experiences. This journal entry or discussion could be wrapped up with a prayer of thanksgiving for God's grace.

3. Read Isaiah 55:6-7. Journal or discuss: "When are the times or conditions in my life when I feel like God is very accessible, easy to be found, and very near?" And: "What are the conditions that make me feel like God is very far away or momentarily out of reach?" Does Isaiah 55:6-7 help you break through to the ever-accessible God?

4. Read Isaiah 55:8-9. Consider some of the ways you observe that God is "higher" than our thoughts and ways? How is God different than our human behaviors and expectations of one another? Is this a comforting thought or challenging thought to you?

5. Read Isaiah 55:10-13. What is God's intention for His Word? What are some of the purposes you think God's Word intends to accomplish in our lives, in our relationships, and in our world? In what ways can you actively cooperate with what God is doing through His Word?

MARKINGS LEFT BY PREVIOUS TRAVELERS
Selected quotes on satisfaction

SEEING JESUS, BEARING HIS IMAGE. "Christ's followers always have His image before their eyes, and its light all other images are screened from their sight. It penetrates into the depths of their being, fills them, and makes them more and more like their Master…That image has the power to transform our lives, and we surrender ourselves utterly to Him, we cannot help bearing his image ourselves. We become the sons of God, we stand side by side with Christ, our unseen Brother, bearing like him the image of God." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer in The Cost of Discipleship

LEARNING TO HEAR WHAT WE READ. "The Christian's interest in Scripture has always been in hearing God speak, not in analyzing moral memos. We must not just read, we must listen to the Word that we read. We are challenged to turn our eyes into ears. Then, hearing fully, to do the Word." - Eugene Peterson in Working the Angles

RESPONSES & OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE
Want to explore The Compass with others? Have questions?

If you'd like to connect with others who are working weekly with The Compass, e-mail me or call the church office (317.632.8311)

If you have questions about Scriptures or some of the questions, or just want to share what your are discovering through The Compass, you are welcome to e-mail me.

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