“Do not be afraid….For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
All you have to do is ‘show up’. I’ve learned, however, that sometimes in ‘showing up’ for God He is also calling us to take a stand for Him, to protect those who can’t ‘stand’ for themselves, to go against the opposition. Showing up for God isn’t always easy but it is rewarding.
I continue on ‘standing firm’ and showing up for God within this personal situation that is transpiring in my days. With each day something new comes up and I turn to God to give me peace and answers. He continually shows up for me and allows me to know that even though this isn’t exactly how I saw things working out it is how HE needs them to happen. To push through and know (TRUST) that He has my future in control. “Secret things belong to the Lord, and future things are secret things.” (Jesus Calling by Sarah Young) I do not try to know the future…I wouldn’t want to know!
And as always God delivers peace of mind with messages from His word, devotionals and often other people who are following close with Him. Below is a short ‘focus’ I’ve written for our Cornerstone Scripture Bible Study class at St. Martha’s. We are studying Mark and this focus is meant to be an overview of the lesson for Mark 15:1-32.
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As we get closer to the end of our study in Mark we are taken to the beginning of Good Friday – the crucifixion. The study noted in a connection question that one of the most emotional moments of the story of the trial of Jesus occurred when the crowd called for his crucifixion. I’ll admit, when I stand on Palm Sunday and either take part in the proclaiming of the Gospel of the crucifixion or shout out as one of the crowd within the parish CRUCIFY HIM my heart seizes and pain sears through my chest bringing tears to my eyes.
Sometimes it’s easier for me to help proclaim the Gospel than it is for me to stand in the crowd and allow ‘crucify him’ to come from my lips.
It is this same pain, the same refusal to want to utter such vile words that fuels the fire in which I take a stand for HIM today.
This weekend I went to visit a good friend of mine’s church in Humble. He is the pastor of THE LUKE a Christian church. They had just moved into a new church building and I wanted to go see it and support my friend in his ministry. Plus, there is always a chance for an anointed word and the worship music is invigorating so that is always a plus as well. In his message he referenced Daniel 3 and the 3 Hebrew men who took a stand against King Nebuchadnezzar refusing to bow down to his golden god. Because of their refusal he threw them into the burning furnace. Many of us have heard this story and know that even though they threw 3 men into the burning furnace it was 4 that they saw within the fire. It was the son of God that walked with the 3 men.
The message is obvious. TAKE A STAND…DON’T BACK DOWN FROM WHAT YOU KNOW IS RIGHT…IF YOU KNOW YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT THEN YOU KNOW GOD IS WALKING WITH YOU.
Jesus, the son of God, before ever coming to this earth as man walked in the fiery furnace with those three men who took a stand for him. They did not back down. They had conviction of what was right and they did not back down. And now, here we have Jesus in the flesh, here on earth with us, walking with us, and he is not backing down.
Along his walk Jesus has shown us that there will ALWAYS be opposition when you are doing something right – when you are not conforming to society but transforming the world as Jesus did and calls us to do. God allows opposition because it brings HIM the opportunity to PROVE He is in control.
The lesson this week focused a lot on the silence of Christ. Why was he silent? Why didn’t he respond and answer? He didn’t have to. He didn’t need to convince. He knew what he was doing was right and he knew God would have the last word.
We are all going to be tested. What will your response be? Are you firm in your conviction or are you wishy washy going along with whomever makes the ‘better argument’ or gives you an easier rode out? The stand you take might leave you feeling lonely but hold true to your conviction and remember that you are not alone in the fire…God is walking right beside you.
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Do not be afraid to take that stand. He will never fail you or abandon you. (Amen!!!)
Blessings
Shannon
