Today I have taken my wife into hospital (let me say for an MRI scan, not for the virus) and normally I would be searching in desperation for a car space praying please Lord provide. Today though it was what car park bay would you like!
I confess I am still learning to cope with my new surroundings in what seems like a never-ending situation. Therefore can I suggest we learn from one of my heroes Daniel who found himself one morning in a life-changing situation.
We are all praying for an end to our situation, but for Daniel his life would never be the same again so he made a conscious decision which I hope will help us.
- Stand strong in the midst of change.
- Accept the inevitable interruptions of life.
- Let the Holy Spirit work.
Over the next few days let’s look at these three things that helped Daniel.
Stand strong in the midst of change.
Daniel was a teenager when he was taken from Jerusalem into captivity in 605 b.c. and as such was one of the youngest hostages selected. Daniel and his friends were to be rigorously trained and indoctrinated for three years. Then at the age of 17 they would enter the King’s service. For a moment put yourself in Daniel’s sandals. This wasn’t the plan he had planned for his life; the unpredictable and yet inevitable (the deportation of the royal descendants into Babylon had been prophesied by Isaiah to Hezekiah (Is. 39:7).
Daniel’s life was turned upside down. From a carefree teenager to a servant of a foreign king. He was taken from family and would never see his family or homeland again. He would never worship in the temple in Jerusalem. He lost his spiritual mentors and taken to a land where God was mocked. He was taken 800 miles to a new home on the Euphrates River.
Who would have thought on January, the first as we entered a new year, we would face what today is certainly an interruption in life?
The rest of the book of Daniel shows many interruptions and challenges in this young boys life and yet he survives empires and kings. The reason is Daniel stood strong on his faith in God. The Babylonians, Persians or any other empire could not shake Daniel from his faith, he would stand resolute in God.
I hope in the midst of our challenge we stand strong knowing that we have someone who intercedes daily on our behalf and is in our boat so whatever storm we face we may know His presence.
Encourage yourself in Daniel he was an overcomes because he put his trust in God. We can too, we share the same God who is able to deliver Daniel and you and me from every circumstance, yes even our own lion’s den. Rejoice, rejoice Christ is in you