~Resolve~

Monday, July 20, 2009

Resolve~ Don't we all cringe a little when the news comes on? I do. I'm convinced the media in general, thrives on causing fear and dread. However, at times, I'm compelled to watch because I believe being  at least somewhat informed is the responsibility of the citizens of any nation. I believe in being willing to communicate your values, to fight for freedom, and take a stand for those things at the core of your being. I believe if we stray very far from our foundations, we will at some point cease to be a truly free country.   I can get pretty fired up about things I see and hear in the "political realm". I find it incredibly frustrating to see things that make me feel like we are on the verge of imploding. "To fall apart from within"....."self destruct". I've been mulling over a lot in recent days about the earthly vs. the eternal things of life. How do I strike that balance of caring about the state of mankind and still understand the eternal insignificance of physical hardships?  How do I stand firm in "wrong is wrong" but not live in a constant state of irritation or anger at the lack of character and judgment that plagues so many people? One beautiful evening I was standing on our back deck. The sky was amazing, a gentle breeze was blowing, and I couldn't help but be reminded how much bigger this picture is. God is not limited by what we see. He's not sitting up in heaven, wringing His hands over the  state of the world. (For someone who tends to take everything on herself, this is really good news! ) 2 Thessalonians 2 talks about the second coming of Jesus. Paul talks about the man of lawlessness who opposes everything that is called God. He goes on to say, "For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming." Stop. Read that again. All this stuff we see....the dishonesty, corruption, lying, secret ulterior motives, selfish agendas, sick desires for control and power, God is still ruling and reigning.      Of course, we KNOW this, but do we really KNOW it?In the spiritual realm, He is standing between us and the one who desires nothing more than to destroy us. Our enemy is undoubtedly at work in this world but no more than Almighty God is allowing.  Imagine a dam with a few breaches, water spews out of a crack or two, but there stands a Warrior, bigger than the dam, keeping it in place. Fighting for us.   "whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming." So, here's the exciting thing about living in a depraved world. The thing that makes me different is my SOURCE. Where does my life come from? Who or what am I looking to to meet my needs? Am I looking to my money to make me secure? Am I looking to my great health care providers to take care of my body? Is my burglar alarm, dog, or gun keeping my safe? Is my big SUV the thing that I'm counting on to keep me alive in a wreck?  WHO OR WHAT AM I DEPENDING ON TO COME THROUGH FOR ME?  When disaster hits, do I throw in the towel?  These are rather pointed questions I've been honestly asking myself lately.  If I could choose a banner to be the story of my life, it would be the message in the following encounter.  "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 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 3:16-18 What resolve....what resolution. How exciting it is to serve a God who is always able to deliver us. How awesome to be so changed by His love, that we are committed to bowing our knee to whatever He wills.  I don't claim to have it all figured out, but my heart's prayer is that I would be faithful to Him just as He is perfectly faithful to me.  Stacey