LIONS AND FIRES AND KINGS, OH MY!

Are you lookin' at ME? I mean, really....what is there to look at? Oh...you mean the mess of my life? I know, I know....you always held me up as an example. But how many times did you see me climbing off of the pedestal you were putting me on?

I just remembered an incident that happened about 32-ish years ago when John was helping to pastor a small church in Burbank. There was a couple who were both wonderfully raw and innocent. They were new to faith in God. We were sitting outside talking after dinner one evening and I must have said something honest about my life (leave it to me to blow my cover...) and she said, with the utmost sincerity, "You mean you are not perfect?"

I still chuckle to remember it because perfection was nowhere in my dreams. I asked her why she would think I was perfect.

She answered with a bit of disappointment in her voice, "I just thought that, after you became a Christian, you would wake up one day and be perfect!" (Don't I wish...)

She truly and sincerely meant it! My explanation of it burst her bubble, but probably relieved her somewhat. But that is something I will never forget. Me. Perfect...HA!

THESE GUYS WERE MUCH CLOSER TO PERFECT

Now, if you want to talk about perfect...these guys were all bounding toward the perfection line.

You know the ones: Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego in the fiery furnace and Daniel in the lions' den. They were pretty well respected in their societal roles. But, they were ALL in trouble in the world's eyes. They were all headed for a place that would cause certain destruction.

However, there are two little phrases that struck me in these stories...

"the God we serve is able..." 

and,

"your God, whom you serve continually."

When the boys were headed into the furnace for refusing to worship idols, they said "the God we serve is able to save us from it..... but even if he does not, we want you to know that we will not serve the idols you have set up."

When Daniel was caught doing the big no-no (praying to the living God) he was thrown into a pit with some very hungry lions. The king (who liked him) was counting on "the God whom you serve continually" to rescue him.... and, of course, you know the end of the stories - they all came out unscathed.

"YOUR GOD, WHOM YOU SERVE CONTINUALLY"

Continually means: without cessation or intermission; unceasingly; always.

 

For me, it means that no matter what my circumstance is, what time of day or week, where I am and with whom, I will trust God. It means that I am still following God when my life seems to be in a mess, I will not stop serving him. It means that it goes without saying that I will make godly decisions and others will already know that because I "serve him continually."

I'm not sure about you, but sometimes, I am just not in the mood to trust God. I have had days lately when I get up in the morning and just say, "Really? Lord? Again? Can you just cut me a break?"

Now mind you, there has never been one moment of time when I thought about NOT following God. Somehow, it is in my DNA. However, do I serve him continually? Or have I bowed down to the idols that have been presented in my life?

I'm going to have to think about that one for awhile, because frankly, my life circumstances have been rather messy lately.

Did you know that Daniel was at least 80 years old when he was tossed into the pit? I suppose I should take comfort in the age part.... but I thought when you got older, you were perfect!

No?

Rats.