Even If … Believe! – Carla Shipp

 

 

As believers we must step out in faith, often times simply on the fact of who we know God to be. There are many times we wait to hear God’s instruction. We want Him to tell us what to do. However, God has told us who He is and that’s where our faith has to stand.

 

An example of this is found in the book of Daniel in chapters two and three. First we see Daniel, a young man brought as a captive from all he knew to a strange, foreign, and godless nation. He knew and feared the God of Israel and purposed in his heart to live for him. Through a great test he and the other Hebrew boys with him proved that the God of Israel’s ways were greater and wiser.

 

The day came when King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a dream that he could not remember, but one that disturbed him greatly. None of his counselors or wise men could tell him the dream or its meaning and in his rage the king commanded that all the wise men should be slain. This decree would include Daniel and his companions. When Daniel heard the tragic news he boldly went to the king and asked for time to show him the interpretation. The king agreed and Daniel went to his companions and asked them to “desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his friends should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.” Daniel acted in faith and sought the Lord for help.

 

When Daniel went to the king and made his request, God hadn’t yet told Daniel the meaning of the dream or even said that He would show him. Daniel however knew that “wisdom and might are His and he changeth the times and the seasons; he removeth kings and setteth up kings; he giveth wisdom unto the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding; He revealeth the deep and secret things; he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him” Daniel 2: 20 -22. 

 

Daniel stepped out in faith based on who He knew his God to be. He was living a life of humility, completely surrendered to God for his well-being. He wasn’t presumptuous, but completely dependent on God. God was faithful and revealed to Daniel the dream and its interpretation. The king was pleased, the wise men were spared, the God of Israel was exalted among the heathen, and Daniel and his companions were given great influence in the province of Babylon.

 

Another example of stepping out in faith on who we know God to be is seen in the lives of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. You know the story of the idol, the command to bow down, and the punishment of the fiery furnace if they didn’t. The three Hebrew boys answered the king boldly with who they knew their God to be. “[… O]ur God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve they gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” “ But if not.” These words are a statement of faith in the God they knew. He hadn’t told them that He would protect them. He hadn’t sent assurance that they would survive, just as Daniel didn’t know that God would reveal the dream, but they trusted who He was and gave their lives to serve Him, the one true God.

 

I pray to live my life, not waiting on God to give me every instruction in times of trouble, but to step out in obedience and faith in who God is so that He will receive the glory … even if!

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