For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. (2 Chron. 16:9)
“Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. Then these men said, 'We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.'
“So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: 'King Darius, live forever! All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and the satraps, the counselors and the advisers, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.' Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king's decree: 'Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?
The king answered and said, 'The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.' So they answered and said before the king, 'That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.'
And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. Then these men approached the king, 'Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.'
So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, 'Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.' Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.
Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, 'Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?'
Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.' Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in God.
And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions -them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in places before they ever came to the bottom of the den.
Then King Darius wrote: To all the peoples, nations and languages that dwell in the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, and steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall endure to the end. He delivers and rescues, and He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.” Daniel 6:1-27
2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him."[a]
Gills Exposition notes about this verse, “to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him; or, as in the margin, "strongly to hold" with such, to be on their side, take their part, strengthen them, support and supply them, and to protect and defend them who are sincere and upright in heart; whose graces are sincere and unfeigned, though not complete, nor they free from sin, and who, with the heart, sincerely believe in God...” [1]
Proverbs 15:3 says, “The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.”
When I look at this scripture, I sometimes think that God is really looking for me to get everything right and is keeping score. And when I think of Daniel, I want to be like him because he did everything with excellence. He looked good, was successful and competent. He was a young man who had noble background “in whom was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand” (Daniel 1:4). It was because Daniel stood out as above others that he was chosen to serve the king of Babylon.
As Judy Hougen mentioned this weekend at a retreat I attended, God is not looking for success or failure – He is looking for faithfulness to Him.[2] God is searching the earth looking to support and strengthen those who would be faithful to Him as He did with Daniel.
Judy Hougen mentioned our need to embrace our weaknesses [2]. It is in our weakness (not our competence and strength) that God displays His power and glory (2 Cor. 12:19). Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:30, "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness."
Daniel's gifts, noble background, and intelligence helped to open the door to him for what God had for Him. God had given Daniel everything he needed to fulfill his calling. However, what God asked from Daniel was faithfulness towards Him. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, "For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
The reason that the Israelites were removed from the Promised Land and brought to Babylon in the first place was because of their unfaithfulness to God. In Daniel 9:5, Daniel prays, “O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day -to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You.”
Proverbs 20:6 says, “Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?
“I wanna give my all and no less, I want to live my life with no regrets...” sings in the background.
Faithfulness is rooted in faith in God. It is commitment to do His will because one trusts in Him. Jesus asks in Luke 18:8, “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
Faithfulness is not trying hard to get everything right. Galatians 5:4-6 says, “You who are trying to be declared righteous by God through legalism have severed yourselves from the Messiah! You have fallen away from God's grace! For it is by the power of the Spirit, who works in us because we trust and are faithful, that we confidently expect our hope of attaining righteousness to be fulfilled. When we are united with the Messiah Yeshua, neither being circumcised nor being uncircumcised matters; what matters is trusting faithfulness expressing itself through love.”
I think often why 'not sinning' appeals to me most is because I do not want to look bad in front of others.
I just looked at my clock and it read 3:33.
I want to be admired, respected and have influence with others. I worry sometimes about being put to shame. Isa 54:4 says "Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; for you will forget the shame of your youth..."
I used to carry a tremendous amount of shame. However, I also think I sometimes confuse being embarrassed with shame. Embarrassment has to do with how we appear to others. The Wikipedia notes that our honor and dignity is often involved. [3] Shame on the other hand, has to do with who we are at the core.
One article notes, “Shame is deeper than guilt. It is not based on having done something wrong so much as a soul ache of being wrong at the core. Shame is more piercing than condemnation where the reality of judgment is mentally apprehended from an outside arbitrator. With shame we palpably feel our own depravity in vivid self-realization.” [4]
Shame has to do with judgment. Zeph 2:1-3 says, “Gather together, gather together, O shameful nation, before the appointed time arrives and that day sweeps on like chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord comes upon you, before the day of the Lord's wrath comes upon you. Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord's anger.”
One whose faith rests in God will not be put to shame on the day of reckoning. 1 Peter 2:6 says, “See, I am placing on Mount Zion a Cornerstone, chosen, and held in honour, and he whose faith rests on Him shall never have reason to feel ashamed.”
However, God never promises that we will not be embarrassed. If we are not concerned for our own dignity or honor, there is nothing to be embarrassed about. Sometimes I struggle with shrinking back from God's will in fear. This has to do with concern over experiencing negative reactions, persecution or embarrassment. What I am really saying to God in my heart when I shrink back is that I care more for my dignity and honor than Him. I am saying that I love myself more than Him.
Daniel followed through and was faithful to God no matter what He suffered. Daniel knew there was a statute that anyone who petitioned a god other than the king for thirty days would be cast into a lions den. Yet, knowing this, he went home and prayed as he always had, with his windows open toward Jerusalem.
It had to be incredibly traumatic to be thrown in a lions den. And he was thrown in there solely for his faithfulness to God. However, because of Daniel's faithfulness, the king repented and fasted and prayed for Daniel. The result was that Daniel was spared, the accusers were thrown in the lion's den and the king wrote a new decree proclaiming that everyone in the kingdom should fear God and worship Him.
“You got to tell every one in the land... that God's been good, yeah good to me, I've been forgiven and it feels so free.”
In Revelation 2:10, the Lord tells the church, “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.”
I come back to what I wrote some weeks ago about conviction. Our convictions are those things that we are willing to die for. These are forged in our lives through difficulties and trials. Daniel determined to serve God and remain faithful to Him no matter what circumstances looked like.
“And I will not be silent, I will not be quiet anymore” sings.
I think a willingness to share in His suffering comes from sharing God's heart and aligning ourselves with God's bigger purposes. As Pastor David Johnson mentioned in his sermon this past weekend, when we don't find something bigger than ourselves, we become smaller and smaller. Petty suffering, like someone cutting us off in traffic, becomes a big deal to us. 5 If we are truly passionate about God's purposes, we will be willing to sacrifice and suffering to see it come forth.
Daniel was God's friend and shared His heart to see His purposes come forth, even when it was at his own expense. Amos 3:3 says, how can two walk together unless they be agreed? Daniel agreed with God even when it meant laying down himself.
And Daniel didn't become offended with God because of his suffering. In Matthew 11:6 Jesus tells John's disciples when John was going to his death, “blessed is the one who is not offended by Me.” Daniel embraced whatever God was doing. When the king ordered that all the wise men be destroyed in Babylon, Daniel did not panic and blame God. Instead, he prayed, fasted and sought God for His wisdom. He put himself completely in God's hands. And when God gave Him the dream and the interpretation, Daniel did not take any of the glory. He gave all the glory and credit to God.
Thomas a Kempis writes that we need to completely renounce and forsake self love. He notes, "when he has done all that he knows ought to be considered great; let him in all honesty call himself an unprofitable servant. For truth itself has said: 'When you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say:'we are unprofitable servants.'" [6]
John 15:13-25 says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you...If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.'”
Thomas a Kempis writes, “All desire to be happy with Him; few wish to suffer anything for Him. Many follow Him to the breaking of bread, but few to drinking of the chalice of His passion. Many revere His miracles; few approach the same of the Cross. Many love Him as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless Him as long as they receive some comfort from Him.... Those, on the contrary, who love Him for His own sake and not for any comfort of their own, bless Him in all trial and anguish of heart as well as in the bliss of consolation." [6]
He goes on to write, “What power there is in pure love for Jesus -love that is free from all self-interest and self-love!... Where can a man be found who desires to serve God for nothing? Rarely indeed is a man so spiritual as to strip himself of all things. And who shall find a man so truly poor in spirit as to be free from every creature?”[7]
However, giving up everything is not an option. It is a requirement if we want to be a disciple. Jesus says in Luke 14:33, “those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”
Daniel was able to see this world as transitional -which helped him to hold it loosely. He knew his true home was in heaven. 1 Chronicles 29:15 says, “For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.”
Fenelon writes, “But faith is willing to let God act with the most perfect freedom, knowing that we belong to Him and are to be concerned only about being faithful in that which he has given us to do for the moment. This moment by moment dependence, this dark unseeing peacefulness of the soul under the utter uncertainty of the future, is a true martyrdom which takes place silently and without any stir.” [8]
God will give us grace for the moment, even when it is difficult, when we look to Him in dependence and surrender – embracing what He is doing. Fenelon writes, “Above all things, be faithful to the present moment, doing one thing at a time, and you will receive all the grace you need.” [9]
I have a tendency to complain or blame God when something happens in the present that is uncomfortable, embarrassing or painful. I become offended with Him and resent Him for it. However, this shows that I am not surrendered to Him and trusting in His loving care of me.
David proclaims in Psalm 131, “Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.”
Fenelon writes, “You can do anything He wants you to do if you are walking in the light of full surrender...Do not allow yourself to be troubled and perplexed when you see people being unreasonable and unjust. Rest in peace in the bosom of God. He sees it all more clearly than you do, and yet He permits it. So be content to do whatever you feel you should, quietly and gently and don't worry about anything else. [10]
Lord, as the song sings, “I want to give my all and no less, I want to live my life with no regrets.” I long to be more faithful to You. I know about surrender and dependence. However, it is easier to write about it than live it. Forgive me where I have complained or become offended. Forgive me for shrinking back at times from suffering rather than embracing it.
Holy Spirit, we long to give Jesus more of ourselves. We long to be faithful. Would you free us from the grip of self love. Would you renew a fresh sense of passion about Your purposes coming forth. Would you give us the grace to live fully surrendered to your will, laying down our lives and embracing suffering. And may our suffering, like Daniel, lead to salvation and freedom for others -that our hearts might rejoice with You in Your bringing forth Your kingdom purposes.
a. Zechariah 4:10 says that the seven lamps represent the eyes of the LORD that range throughout the earth. And Revelation 5:6 says, “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.”
1. Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible. Located at: http://biblecommenter.com/2_chronicles/16-9.htm Last Accessed: 3/22/11
2. Hougen, Judy. Governing Board Chair and Elder at Church of the Open Door in Maple Grove, MN. Author of “Transformed into Fire: An Invitation to Life in the True Self.”
3. Wikipedia. Embarrassment. Located at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embarrassment Last Accessed: 3/22/11
4. Shame. Located at: http://www.acts17-11.com/shame.html Last Accessed: 3/22/11
5. Johnson, David. Senior Pastor at Church of the Open Door in Maple Grove, MN.
6-7 Kempis, Thomas a. The Imitation of Christ. Dover Publications, Inc. Mineola, New York. 2003.
8-10. Fenelon. Let Go. Whitaker House, New Kensington, PA. 1973.
“So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: 'King Darius, live forever! All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and the satraps, the counselors and the advisers, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.' Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king's decree: 'Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?
The king answered and said, 'The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.' So they answered and said before the king, 'That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.'
And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. Then these men approached the king, 'Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.'
So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, 'Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.' Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.
Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, 'Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?'
Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.' Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in God.
And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions -them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in places before they ever came to the bottom of the den.
Then King Darius wrote: To all the peoples, nations and languages that dwell in the earth: Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, and steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall endure to the end. He delivers and rescues, and He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.” Daniel 6:1-27
2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him."[a]
Gills Exposition notes about this verse, “to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him; or, as in the margin, "strongly to hold" with such, to be on their side, take their part, strengthen them, support and supply them, and to protect and defend them who are sincere and upright in heart; whose graces are sincere and unfeigned, though not complete, nor they free from sin, and who, with the heart, sincerely believe in God...” [1]
Proverbs 15:3 says, “The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.”
When I look at this scripture, I sometimes think that God is really looking for me to get everything right and is keeping score. And when I think of Daniel, I want to be like him because he did everything with excellence. He looked good, was successful and competent. He was a young man who had noble background “in whom was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand” (Daniel 1:4). It was because Daniel stood out as above others that he was chosen to serve the king of Babylon.
As Judy Hougen mentioned this weekend at a retreat I attended, God is not looking for success or failure – He is looking for faithfulness to Him.[2] God is searching the earth looking to support and strengthen those who would be faithful to Him as He did with Daniel.
Judy Hougen mentioned our need to embrace our weaknesses [2]. It is in our weakness (not our competence and strength) that God displays His power and glory (2 Cor. 12:19). Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:30, "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness."
Daniel's gifts, noble background, and intelligence helped to open the door to him for what God had for Him. God had given Daniel everything he needed to fulfill his calling. However, what God asked from Daniel was faithfulness towards Him. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, "For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
The reason that the Israelites were removed from the Promised Land and brought to Babylon in the first place was because of their unfaithfulness to God. In Daniel 9:5, Daniel prays, “O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day -to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You.”
Proverbs 20:6 says, “Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?
“I wanna give my all and no less, I want to live my life with no regrets...” sings in the background.
Faithfulness is rooted in faith in God. It is commitment to do His will because one trusts in Him. Jesus asks in Luke 18:8, “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
Faithfulness is not trying hard to get everything right. Galatians 5:4-6 says, “You who are trying to be declared righteous by God through legalism have severed yourselves from the Messiah! You have fallen away from God's grace! For it is by the power of the Spirit, who works in us because we trust and are faithful, that we confidently expect our hope of attaining righteousness to be fulfilled. When we are united with the Messiah Yeshua, neither being circumcised nor being uncircumcised matters; what matters is trusting faithfulness expressing itself through love.”
I think often why 'not sinning' appeals to me most is because I do not want to look bad in front of others.
I just looked at my clock and it read 3:33.
I want to be admired, respected and have influence with others. I worry sometimes about being put to shame. Isa 54:4 says "Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; for you will forget the shame of your youth..."
I used to carry a tremendous amount of shame. However, I also think I sometimes confuse being embarrassed with shame. Embarrassment has to do with how we appear to others. The Wikipedia notes that our honor and dignity is often involved. [3] Shame on the other hand, has to do with who we are at the core.
One article notes, “Shame is deeper than guilt. It is not based on having done something wrong so much as a soul ache of being wrong at the core. Shame is more piercing than condemnation where the reality of judgment is mentally apprehended from an outside arbitrator. With shame we palpably feel our own depravity in vivid self-realization.” [4]
Shame has to do with judgment. Zeph 2:1-3 says, “Gather together, gather together, O shameful nation, before the appointed time arrives and that day sweeps on like chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord comes upon you, before the day of the Lord's wrath comes upon you. Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord's anger.”
One whose faith rests in God will not be put to shame on the day of reckoning. 1 Peter 2:6 says, “See, I am placing on Mount Zion a Cornerstone, chosen, and held in honour, and he whose faith rests on Him shall never have reason to feel ashamed.”
However, God never promises that we will not be embarrassed. If we are not concerned for our own dignity or honor, there is nothing to be embarrassed about. Sometimes I struggle with shrinking back from God's will in fear. This has to do with concern over experiencing negative reactions, persecution or embarrassment. What I am really saying to God in my heart when I shrink back is that I care more for my dignity and honor than Him. I am saying that I love myself more than Him.
Daniel followed through and was faithful to God no matter what He suffered. Daniel knew there was a statute that anyone who petitioned a god other than the king for thirty days would be cast into a lions den. Yet, knowing this, he went home and prayed as he always had, with his windows open toward Jerusalem.
It had to be incredibly traumatic to be thrown in a lions den. And he was thrown in there solely for his faithfulness to God. However, because of Daniel's faithfulness, the king repented and fasted and prayed for Daniel. The result was that Daniel was spared, the accusers were thrown in the lion's den and the king wrote a new decree proclaiming that everyone in the kingdom should fear God and worship Him.
“You got to tell every one in the land... that God's been good, yeah good to me, I've been forgiven and it feels so free.”
In Revelation 2:10, the Lord tells the church, “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.”
I come back to what I wrote some weeks ago about conviction. Our convictions are those things that we are willing to die for. These are forged in our lives through difficulties and trials. Daniel determined to serve God and remain faithful to Him no matter what circumstances looked like.
“And I will not be silent, I will not be quiet anymore” sings.
I think a willingness to share in His suffering comes from sharing God's heart and aligning ourselves with God's bigger purposes. As Pastor David Johnson mentioned in his sermon this past weekend, when we don't find something bigger than ourselves, we become smaller and smaller. Petty suffering, like someone cutting us off in traffic, becomes a big deal to us. 5 If we are truly passionate about God's purposes, we will be willing to sacrifice and suffering to see it come forth.
Daniel was God's friend and shared His heart to see His purposes come forth, even when it was at his own expense. Amos 3:3 says, how can two walk together unless they be agreed? Daniel agreed with God even when it meant laying down himself.
And Daniel didn't become offended with God because of his suffering. In Matthew 11:6 Jesus tells John's disciples when John was going to his death, “blessed is the one who is not offended by Me.” Daniel embraced whatever God was doing. When the king ordered that all the wise men be destroyed in Babylon, Daniel did not panic and blame God. Instead, he prayed, fasted and sought God for His wisdom. He put himself completely in God's hands. And when God gave Him the dream and the interpretation, Daniel did not take any of the glory. He gave all the glory and credit to God.
Thomas a Kempis writes that we need to completely renounce and forsake self love. He notes, "when he has done all that he knows ought to be considered great; let him in all honesty call himself an unprofitable servant. For truth itself has said: 'When you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say:'we are unprofitable servants.'" [6]
John 15:13-25 says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you...If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.'”
Thomas a Kempis writes, “All desire to be happy with Him; few wish to suffer anything for Him. Many follow Him to the breaking of bread, but few to drinking of the chalice of His passion. Many revere His miracles; few approach the same of the Cross. Many love Him as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless Him as long as they receive some comfort from Him.... Those, on the contrary, who love Him for His own sake and not for any comfort of their own, bless Him in all trial and anguish of heart as well as in the bliss of consolation." [6]
He goes on to write, “What power there is in pure love for Jesus -love that is free from all self-interest and self-love!... Where can a man be found who desires to serve God for nothing? Rarely indeed is a man so spiritual as to strip himself of all things. And who shall find a man so truly poor in spirit as to be free from every creature?”[7]
However, giving up everything is not an option. It is a requirement if we want to be a disciple. Jesus says in Luke 14:33, “those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”
Daniel was able to see this world as transitional -which helped him to hold it loosely. He knew his true home was in heaven. 1 Chronicles 29:15 says, “For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.”
Fenelon writes, “But faith is willing to let God act with the most perfect freedom, knowing that we belong to Him and are to be concerned only about being faithful in that which he has given us to do for the moment. This moment by moment dependence, this dark unseeing peacefulness of the soul under the utter uncertainty of the future, is a true martyrdom which takes place silently and without any stir.” [8]
God will give us grace for the moment, even when it is difficult, when we look to Him in dependence and surrender – embracing what He is doing. Fenelon writes, “Above all things, be faithful to the present moment, doing one thing at a time, and you will receive all the grace you need.” [9]
I have a tendency to complain or blame God when something happens in the present that is uncomfortable, embarrassing or painful. I become offended with Him and resent Him for it. However, this shows that I am not surrendered to Him and trusting in His loving care of me.
David proclaims in Psalm 131, “Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.”
Fenelon writes, “You can do anything He wants you to do if you are walking in the light of full surrender...Do not allow yourself to be troubled and perplexed when you see people being unreasonable and unjust. Rest in peace in the bosom of God. He sees it all more clearly than you do, and yet He permits it. So be content to do whatever you feel you should, quietly and gently and don't worry about anything else. [10]
Lord, as the song sings, “I want to give my all and no less, I want to live my life with no regrets.” I long to be more faithful to You. I know about surrender and dependence. However, it is easier to write about it than live it. Forgive me where I have complained or become offended. Forgive me for shrinking back at times from suffering rather than embracing it.
Holy Spirit, we long to give Jesus more of ourselves. We long to be faithful. Would you free us from the grip of self love. Would you renew a fresh sense of passion about Your purposes coming forth. Would you give us the grace to live fully surrendered to your will, laying down our lives and embracing suffering. And may our suffering, like Daniel, lead to salvation and freedom for others -that our hearts might rejoice with You in Your bringing forth Your kingdom purposes.
a. Zechariah 4:10 says that the seven lamps represent the eyes of the LORD that range throughout the earth. And Revelation 5:6 says, “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.”
1. Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible. Located at: http://biblecommenter.com/2_chronicles/16-9.htm Last Accessed: 3/22/11
2. Hougen, Judy. Governing Board Chair and Elder at Church of the Open Door in Maple Grove, MN. Author of “Transformed into Fire: An Invitation to Life in the True Self.”
3. Wikipedia. Embarrassment. Located at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embarrassment Last Accessed: 3/22/11
4. Shame. Located at: http://www.acts17-11.com/shame.html Last Accessed: 3/22/11
5. Johnson, David. Senior Pastor at Church of the Open Door in Maple Grove, MN.
6-7 Kempis, Thomas a. The Imitation of Christ. Dover Publications, Inc. Mineola, New York. 2003.
8-10. Fenelon. Let Go. Whitaker House, New Kensington, PA. 1973.
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