Acting on What You Know of God

As I continue through my reading of the Scriptures, I am constantly amazed with how they truly are alive and life transforming. Lest any of you worry that my lack of posting is a result of my seeming crisis of faith from my last post, let me assure you, I am rock solid in my stand, state and security with my Saviour! He is always good and faithful, and never intends evil nor harm to all those he calls his! What a treasure we posses!

Just "some thinking" though... (I am very careful not to use other peoples words, phrases or titles these days!!! More on that tomorrow!)

I started in Daniel ... after skipping Ezekiel of course, (I was so not ready for that one again, even though it has been many months since our last visit together...!!) and I love in chapter 2 where Daniel has been told about the king needing someone to tell him the interpretation of his dream...after they told him what that dream was in the first place!!

My favorite part is in verse 16. Daniel has just heard of the decree that all the wise men would be destroyed, and "Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation. "

[Now, make note this is before chapter 3 where the "certain Chaldeans" (aka. shamed and jealous wise men) made known to the king that "certain Jews" (aka. Rack, Shack and Benny) would not fall down and worship the the image during the Adhan musical call to prayer and they were sent to the furnace, and before the whole Daniel in the lion's den in chapter 6!]

OK, back to the story...

I don't see where Daniel made any specific prayer about "should I first see if The God if Israel will give me the revelation of the dream?" or "What might happen if I go out on a limb here and my God doesn't come through...?" Nothing like that. He is told why the wise men are going to be killed, and the next verse says "Then...". He KNEW his God! He was in prayer three times a day- purposed and dedicated prayer- not the "talking to the Lord while I do the dishes" kind of prayer! In verse 17, another "Then..." he went and told his three buddies! His knowledge of God made him confident in his actions.

Am I so familiar with God that I would act like Daniel?

Do I know His character and purposes well enough that before I prayed about it I know which way God would go?

WOW! Daniel did!

And even if he really didn't know that the dream would be revealed, he knew God could if HE chose to, and that was motive enough for his action. Now true, he was in a position that if he did nothing he and all the wise men were facing death, for the Chaldeans said rightly in verse 10, "There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter:", and that king was a little baby stern man, and wanted his way.

But they didn't know the whole of it... because "the except" is... a man can if the Lord be with him!

I have heard the quote, "Stand up for what is right, even if it means you are standing alone". And one is never alone... when the Lord is with him.

I made mention of this being before chapter 3 and 6 because it struck me that God knew how Daniel and his three amigos would act in those other two stories based in part on the way they acted in this one. (Aside from the fact that He is omniscient, that is!) These men had proven themselves to be men of action based on their knowledge of who God is.

There are so many of us (me!) that are faced with something that needs doing, or a problem that needs fixing. We know the right answer and don't do it for whatever lame reason.

Why do we hesitate?

Are we faced with something possibly unpleasant as a result of our actions?

Let me ask you, what could be more unpleasant than sinning against a Holy God?