I used to read Daniel 3 and get choked up.
Choked up by the courage of 3 men, 3 young men, who stood up for what they believed. For what they knew was right.
In the face of fear. In the face of certain death.
Believing that it was better to die for God, than to disobey Him.
But I wondered how
I could ever do that.
Knowing me. Knowing myself.
Knowing I would rather hide than stand up or stand out.
Knowing that God
could save. That He is able. Always able.
Yet questioning whether He actually
would
.
So when I heard someone say the other day: "I know God is able. I know He can. But even if He doesn't..." God immediately reminded me of the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
And in a way that only God could, He pricked my heart and whispered to my mind:
That's not all they said. They also said, "We know our God will."
At first, I thought:
Whoa, Lord, am I remembering the story correctly?
Because I know the voice of the Lord. And I also know that He is true to His Word.
So I looked it up. In Daniel 3.
And sure enough, the person I was listening to had left something out.
Something vital. Something important.
Something so important that God broke into my thoughts and whispered the truth to my heart:
They didn't just say, "We know our God can." They also said, "We know our God will."
And I realized.
I finally realized. T
hat's where the faith came from.
That's where the courage came from!
You see, to know God
"can" produces very little courage...at least in me.
I know He
can
do anything and everything that He wants, chooses and desires.
Anywhere, anytime.
But
will He, has always been the question.
The question of a little girl, turned young lady, turned 40+ year old woman, who hadn't yet had the reality of the absolute goodness of God cemented into her belief system.
But God.
But God knows! And He broke into my thoughts. He broke into my mind. He broke into my broken belief system.
And He asked me a question:
Sandra, you know I can. But do you believe I will?
And as I honestly answered, No, He said: Would you like to?
And I believe that the same question He asked me, He's asking you.
Would you like to?
Would you like to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God is good?
That He is good.
That He is faithful.
And that He will!
Will keep His promises.
Will keep His Word.
Will do what He's said He will do!
Because we know our God is able. We know our God can. And now we know our God will.
Amen!
