But If Not

"If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Daniel 3:17-18

There are often times of uncertainty that we all go through in life.  Wondering what our next step will be.  In the midst of all this we are expected to have faith that in all things God is going to work it out. After all, that is what His Word says.  Even now when my life is in a state of flux and wondering what my next move will be, while trying to hold on the midst of it all, I question if my faith is strong enough.   Faced with opposition on every side. Individuals who mock the very faith upon which I stand and yet I still have hope.  As I think about this I am reminded about the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace.  After reading this story again I find myself asking if I would have had the same kind of faith.  It's easy to proclaim to be a child of God when everything is going good around you, while you are surrounded by other believers.  But what about in the workplace when you don't know who's a Christian and who's not.  Will you still continue to stand up for God?  What about while hanging with your friends when conversations turn to gossip and backbiting?  Will you continue to stand up for God or  just blend in smiling and laughing along in an attempt to fit in?  I would like to say that I would do the right thing and 'stand up for God'. But the truth of the matter is I don't know what I would do.  I need my job.  What if my standing up for what is right causes me to get fired?  To I have the faith to say that God will continue to 'supply all my needs according to His riches in glory'.   What about when dealing with friendships?  These ladies (gentlemen) have been my friends for years.  I don't really want to stir up any confusion.  And what about when you have been praying about something and you are waiting on God to answer that prayer.  Is your faith predicated on if God answers the prayer in the way that you see fit? Or are you able to proclaim boldly that you trust God as the three Hebrew boys did when faced with the danger of being thrown in a fiery furnace?

It makes me think of my current situation and how I am in the process of going through some major changes in my life. Here I am waiting on God to answer my prayer, beginning to see a little light at the end of the tunnel.  Watching God work on my behalf and starting to feel hopeful.  But in the midst of all this I had to ask myself, "What if the situation doesn't work out the way I would like? Will I be okay with accepting the results as God's will for my life?  Will I be able to say 'But even if He does not'?  You see, that's the kind of faith I want to have.  Life has shown me that things are not always going to work out as I would like it to.  That job I may really want may be given to someone else.  Someone who I may have thought to be a lifelong friend may turn out to be seasonal.  While I may be praying for healing, God may decide to deliver the ultimate healing and take my loved one on up to glory.  All these situations could easily shake my faith but God has just been to good to me for me not to accept that He knows what is best for my life.  And if He has determined to take me through the fire then bring it on.   If I have to be tried by the fire so that my life can be used as a testimony to help someone else then I am going to walk through the fire.  And while I may have to go through the fire I have decided to stand up for God.  My questions for you today is, " What will your decision be?  Daily we are faced with opportunities to be a witness for God.  At home, on our job, in the grocery store, at the mall.  Will you be that witness? 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I come to You today in the humblest way that I know how.  Giving you all the praise You so richly deserve.  Father I ask today that You forgive me of my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.  I know that in times past when faced with a situation of whether or not to stand up for You or blend in with the crowd, I have not always made the best decisions.  Today I make a bold declaration of faith.  You., alone. are the one, true God and in everything I am going to praise Your name.  In Jesus' Precious Name I pray Amen. 

Stop Your Complaining

Turn on any television , watch any new program, read any newspaper and you will find a plethora of bad news.  Not only that, but if you are anything like me and have a normal life with ups and downs, twists and turns, you don't have to do any of those things to find some bad news. All you have to do is look around you, open the mailbox, listen to your ungrateful child, miss a few hours of sleep, deal with a crazy boss or know-it-all coworkers.   And what usually goes along with all of that, complaining.  On any given day we could all find something to complain about.  But I wonder if every time we felt the urge to complain we actually thanked God, how much better our lives would be. 

The Psalmist writes in  Psalm 34, 'I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. (1-4)

Now I was not there when he wrote these words, but I would venture to say that 'all was not perfect in his world'. The Psalmist chose to do something different.  Instead of looking upon his circumstance and how dark the night, he chose to look to God.  I often turn to the Psalms when I am at a loss for words to pray.  How fitting, when all may look bleak around you, to look to the hills from whence cometh your help.  That's really what it is all about.  The believer and the non-believer should have some distinct differences.  One difference is that even when we are tempted to let our heads hang low, it doesn't stay there for long.  We don't hope as those who have no hope.  Our hope is in God.  So stop your complaining and start praising Him.  For every reason you might have to complain I bet you  have something to be thankful for.  There are times in my life where I have a harder time finding those things to be thankful for I have learned that the reason for this is because I find myself looking for the extraordinary instead of finding God in the ordinary.  Things that I have started to take for granted like my family, good health, true friendships.  All these things that God has blessed me with.  When you come to realize that everything you have, you don't deserve, it becomes easier to 'bless the Lord at all times and praise Him continously.

Now maybe you haven't gotten to this point yet.  Verse 5 in the text above brings home the most important reason that we don't have to waste time complaining.  That reason is prayer.  Being able to lay it all out and tell it to God about it is something to be thankful for.  You don't have to worry about the perfect words or complete sentence.  All you have to do is speak from your heart.  And I am hear to tell you that He hears you. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Thank You so very much for the privilege of prayer.  There is no greater relief than being able to come to You and pour out my heart, not just with request but in praise.  Lord I thank you for everything that you have done in my life. I know there are times when I have taken for granted the blessings you have provided for me.  Help me not to develop a spirit of complaining but one of gratefulness.  Help me not to be selfish in my prayers but selfless, giving You the honor you so richly deserve.  All these things I ask in Your Precious Name Jesus Amen.