We do not worship God because of what he gives to us.
We do not praise His holy name because he has the power to destroy us.
We do not follow God because of what he promised us.
So why do we worship, praise and follow God?
The story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Daniel Chapter 3 is one of those very strong stories of faith in the bible. In this story, we witness an unusual and uncommon faith, scarce in our very own dispensation. We are presented with a story of 3 young men who against all odds and threat hinged their unwavering faith on God. We find that they have deep respect for their king but also have total obedience and dependence on God in the statement they pronounced:
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered, “Your Majesty, we will not try to defend ourselves. 17 If the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power, then he will.[a] 18 But even if he doesn’t, Your Majesty may be sure that we will not worship your god, and we will not bow down to the gold statue that you have set up.”
These young men submitted totally to God’s will, “even if”.
The bible presents us with a similar gesture of true faith in Matthew’s gospel Chapter 8: 1-4 and 5-13. The leprous man says to Jesus : “Sir, if you want to, you can make me clean.” Again, the leprous man understood that it was in the will of Jesus to do as he pleased: “even if”.
If the bible excepts above do not speak much, it has one thing to say: God is Almighty and his power is his sole prerogative. Out of love and mercy he dishes out his power according to his will. God who delivered Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego out of the blazing furnace could surely have averted the death of Jesus on the cross, if it was the will of God. So why doubt God? Why not channel your prayer according to the will of God?
Hence – God is still God: when you are faced with financial challenges and your situation seems hopeless.
God is still God: when you are bereaved of loved ones and you can’t let go.
God is still God: when higher powers (physical or spiritual) threaten you even when you are working according to God’s will.
God is still God: in times of terminal illness or heartbreaks.
God is still God: in every situation, everywhere, everyday, every time.
God is still God: whenever, wherever, however!
And “even if” God doesn’t respond to your need or prayer in the manner you anticipated, he is still God.
Read 2 Maccabees Chapter 7 for another touching story of uncommon show of faith in God (you can google online). In present times, a similar type of faith is experienced in many regions of the world ravaged by the ISIS movement and their persecution of Christians.
Today, November 2nd, we remember the souls of the faithful departed, that through the mercy of God, they would rest in perfect peace, Amen!
We remember all those who have died for their faith in God, and pray that eternal rest would be granted unto them, Amen!
We pray that God’s mercy would be granted unto all our departed ones so that they would behold the face of God, Amen!
We do not worship God because of what he gives to us.
We do not praise His holy name because he has the power to destroy us.
We do not follow God because of what he promised us.
No! – we worship, praise and follow God because of who he truly is, our creator, our God, our father, our love, the owner of our essence; the Almighty, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient and All merciful.
Peace be with you!
Very impact full