Jym Shorts

Jym Shorts - January 21, 2016

by Jym Gregory on January 21, 2016

Do you ever wonder where faith leaves off and doubt enters in? Daniel chapter three tells the story of Daniel’s three friends, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael. These young men were whisked away from their families, homelands, and everything they knew around 600 B.C. by the invading Babylonian army. They were taken back to Babylon to be trained to forget that they were Jews and to live like they were Babylonians, but it didn’t work. The three boys, along with Daniel, held fast to their upbringing, their identity, and most importantly, their God. They lived up to the meaning of their names: Daniel – God is my Judge/Deliverer, Hananiah – the Lord is gracious, Azariah – the Lord helps, and Mishael – who is what God is?

In chapter three, Daniel’s friends face the trial of a lifetime. An idol has been erected, and the king demands that it be worshipped. The boys refuse, but the gracious king offers them one last chance; bow before the idol and walk away unharmed, or refuse and be immediately thrown into a furnace. Here is where the boys’ courage and faith are ultimately tested. “If this be so,” they reply to the king, “our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But, if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (Daniel 3:17-18). Now, is the “But, if not” a sign of faith or a sign of doubt? Do they doubt that God will save them and therefore demonstrate their fear and lack of faith by creating an “out” clause? I don’t think so.

Daniel’s friends knew, as we must learn to know, that God is a great deliverer. There is nothing he cannot do, and there are times when he enters our lives in a dramatic fashion and saves the day. We get what we do not necessarily deserve – deliverance. There are also times when his faithful followers must face the furnace. When that time comes, it is not a lack of faith, but a demonstration of submission to the sovereignty of God to declare that it is entirely up to God whether he will deliver us or allow us to be delivered over. Daniel’s friends essentially say, “We trust God, we know what he can do, but he doesn’t have to do it in order for us to submit ourselves to him.” In other words, it is not a demonstration of a lack of faith for us to acknowledge that God may have different plans for us than we would want for ourselves or our loved ones. Since all that God plans for his children is good, even those things that would cause us pain are ultimately for a divine purpose. I really believe this, which is why I have no problem praying that someone might be healed of a disease or saved from a difficult situation, and still say to God, “Your will be done, Lord.” I don’t mean, “You probably won’t heal this person, so here’s my ‘save face’ clause.” I mean, “I know you can heal anyone you choose to heal, and you’ve demonstrated that time and time again in human history, and in my history, but you always know what is best, so please do what is best even if it doesn’t seem best to me.” That’s not always an easy prayer, nor am I always perfectly content. Like most of you, my ears have heard my mouth say more than once, “Please Lord… please, do it this way.” Nevertheless, I believe that God is good, and that God is powerful, and I want to live out the truth I know to be true: that God’s ways are higher than my ways.

Pastor Ethan will tell us something similar on Sunday from 1 Peter 1:6-9. Suffering is not a surefire sign of disobedience to God. Sometimes God ordains it, even for his faithful followers, and our prayers won’t change it. There is joy in the journey, even when suffering is our companion. The goal of our faith is salvation, not an easy life.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Jym

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