America will elect a President in three weeks. Most of us
are not too thrilled with the choices we have, are we? I know many people, from
all persuasions who are feeling something like despair about the prospect of
another Clinton administration or a Trump presidency. I am not naïve and I know that the occupant of the Oval office in the White House has a
pivotal role in shaping public policy. He or she will propose legislation, make
war or work at peace, and appoint hundreds of Federal judges during the next
four years. I am not minimizing the importance of this election, but I want to set it in context of Heaven's truth.
God reveals this - "I
am in charge of history!" Certainly
His rule sometimes not easy to
discern. Consider Daniel. Invaders from Babylon
destroyed Jerusalem while he was still a teen. Daniel had to wrestle to
reconcile the truth that God was revealing to him concerning His control of
human events and what he saw happening around him. God’s Temple and Holy City
was in ruins and His people apparently without a future. Then, Daniel was led, along with hundreds of
others, on a long trek to the capital of the empire. “How could any of this be
the will of Yahweh?” he must have wondered. But, Daniel, despite tragedy,
remained God's man and trusted God as the Sovereign of human affairs. The
result was a man so in tune with the Spirit that he became God's spokesman to
the super-power of his time.
He held onto his convictions, served the Lord, and endured. In time, he rose to become the counselor to
the Emperor. We can never forget that his principled stands cost him
dearly. His friends ended up in a fiery
furnace. Daniel deal with palace intrigue and got thrown into the lion’s den,
but he never wavered, never lost faith. When he was about 80 years old, the emperor
saw a terrifying vision. Belshazzar, the regent of Babylon,
whose arrogance far outstripped that of his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, was
throwing a banquet when a hand appeared to write on the wall of the hall. No
one could understand the cryptic phrase - MN MN TKL PRSN. Then the queen
mother reminded Belshazzar of an old Jewish man who had counseled his
grandfather. Daniel was called, and God revealed the meaning of the inscription:
"Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin" -- "Numbered, numbered,
Weighed, and Divided!"
Boldly, Daniel pronounced the message of Heaven. "Your
Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your
predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar. He made him so great that people of all races and
nations and languages trembled before him in fear. ... But when his heart and
mind were hardened with pride, he was brought down from his royal throne and
stripped of his glory. ...until he learned that the Most High God rules the
kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them. You are
his successor, O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled
yourself. For you have defied the Lord of heaven ...you have not honored the
God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny! So God has sent
this hand to write a message." (Daniel 5:18-24, NLT) His message? God rules!
Christian, “God Rules!” is not a message of
fear. It is one of great comfort to us as we work out our salvation. Though the
Lord calls us to be responsible, proactive, and engaged in the world in which
we live, all the while we know that we are not in charge. Oh, what peace can be found in the calm
assurance that there is a competent Captain guiding us. Disciple, I want to
urge you to trust that revelation today. Steady yourself in faith in God. He is
capable of keeping you in the palm of His hand, no matter what happens in the
election, no matter what, no matter what crisis appears, as if from nowhere, in
your life.
Pray for eyes that see what God sees and a mind that thinks
as He thinks as the Spirit gives revelation. In this election year when the
rest of the country is so divided and angry, where there is anxiety about the
future of this country... let’s be the people of the Lord. Let’s keep our
identity in mind, steady ourselves in hope, be fervent in prayer, and seek
peace.
And, remember the Truth found in this word from the Word. "Blessed be the name of God, forever
and ever. He knows all, does all: He changes the seasons and guides history, He
raises up kings and also brings them down." (Daniel 2:20-21, The
Message)
________________
Here As In Heaven
The atmosphere is
changing now
For the Spirit of the
Lord is here
The evidence is all
around
That the Spirit of the
Lord is here
Overflow in this place
Fill our hearts with
your love
Your love surrounds us
You're the reason we
came to encounter your love
Your love surrounds us
Spirit of God fall
fresh on us
We need your presence
Your kingdom come your
will be done
Here as in heaven
A miracle can happen
now
For the Spirit of the
Lord is here
The evidence is all
around
That the Spirit of the
Lord is here
Chris Brown | Mack Brock | Matthew Ntlele | Steven Furtick |
Wade Joye
© 2015 Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (Admin. by
Essential Music Publishing LLC)
CCLI License # 810055
No comments:
Post a Comment