It will lead to your giving testimony.
Whether before kings and governors, or, even more frightenly, before friends and family, we will be called on to give testimony to Jesus Christ and his kingdom. Because this is frightening we may feel like getting ready now by thinking of all the great things we'll say.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
The real way to get ready now is by trusting in Jesus now. If we do we will know how to listen to him even when we are under pressure.
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
We need perseverance.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives.
Perseverance means trusting in God no matter how things around us appear. It means that we believe his word more than our circumstances. We see circumstances that speak anxiety and fear to us but we believe instead the peace of Jesus. We see people who are smart, well-educated, and committed to non-Christian ways. It would seem we aren't smart enough to say anything to them to change their minds. Instead we believe in the wisdom in speaking Jesus gives to those who follow him. Perseverance does not mean we will easily or automatically find words to speak. It means that if we speak, trusting in God, in spite of our circumstances, we will find that he gives us the words.
This is how Daniel is able to listen to God in order to deliver a difficult word to the king, a word which the king does not want to hear.
But the God in whose hand is your life breath
and the whole course of your life, you did not glorify.
By him were the wrist and hand sent, and the writing set down.
"This is the writing that was inscribed:
MENE, TEKEL, and PERES.
These words mean:
MENE, God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it;
TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting;
PERES, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.
Do we trust God enough to let ourselves be used by him? He calls us to trust him more and more. He has great plans for us. He wants to use us in the building of the kingdom which will never be shaken or destroyed, put to an end, found wanting, or divided.
Give glory and eternal praise to him.
Trusting in God is a process. We believe that we can trust him because he speaks to us and tells us we can. We believe that we can trust in him because he shows us that he is faithful to his word. As we accept that he is trustworthy our trust grows. Trust begets trust and more trust.
No comments:
Post a Comment