Is my commitment to the Lord conditional on God giving me a good life in return? Am I willing to commit my life to the Lord as long as He gets me the job I have always dreamed about or the set of wheels I’ve drooled over, or the home of my dreams?  But what happens if your friend gets that job instead of you, or the motor in your new vehicle goes up in smoke, or you end up in a cramped tiny apartment – not the spacious home of your dreams? Are you still committed to living for the Lord?

Am I guilty of using my commitment and devotion as bargaining chips with the Lord?

Remember the three young men who stood before furious Nebuchadnezzar? They had refused to bow down before the towering gold image the King erected. They knew the consequences – to be hurled alive into the red hot furnace. So when the daily signal was given, everyone was to fall into the horizontal position. Flat as a pancake! Glance around the city square and out in the fields – not one person left standing. Except for three young men. Their knees wouldn’t buckle, bow or bend!  They were determined to honour the Lord at any cost!

They weren’t surprised when they were arrested and hauled before the fiercely flashing eyes of the King. He gave them one final chance to bow before the gold image and then threatened them with the furnace. How good is your imagination? Did the three God-fearing young men glance at each other with a peaceful smile of acceptance and give the nod to say in unison what they wanted the King to know? Maybe their voices were trembling, and just maybe their knees were knocking, and perhaps those legs were shaking, and maybe their eyes were filled with tears – I don’t know – but their heart was strong and unwavering!

 “O Nebuchadnezzar.our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and He will deliver us from your hand, O King. But if not, Let it be known to you, O King, that we do not serve your gods,Nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18

Am I willing to work hard at being a good Christian only if the Lord gives me what I want or gets me out of scrapes or solves the problems of my life? Can I justify my minimal commitment and my bitterness because things haven’t worked out the way I expected?

These men knew one thing: God was able to deliver them if He wanted to – BUT if He chose not to, they were still going to walk closely with Him and remain true to Him. They recognized that God is sovereign and He sees the big picture. The rest of the story is: King Nezzar found out that these boys not only wouldn’t bend or bow, they wouldn’t burn either!!

Esther was a young Jewish girl in the Bible who was willing to risk her life to protect the Lord’s people. She went to the heathen King uninvited. She knew the risk involved – her head would be removed from her shoulders if she didn’t find favour with the King. But her commitment to the Lord and to His people came first. She said: “If I perish, I perish.” The Apostle Paul said: “I am ready to die for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Is my commitment to Christ conditional on Him blessing me the way I want to be blessed? Or is it my intention to live wholeheartedly for Christ regardless? Unswerving devotion to Him despite the ups and downs of life! Go for it, young Christian. On your knees, pour out your heart to the Lord and make the commitment that will give your life meaning and will bring pleasure to your God. Live the significant life the Lord intends for you.

Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.

Warmly in Christ,

Peter Ramsay

Relentless Pursuit of a Father’s Love – Ten Motorcycles Later

Newest Gospel Story on  heaven4sure

New Feature on Heaven4sure.com Titles, with links to all short Gospel videos that appear on this site, are now compiled in one place under the “Watch and Listen” tab on the Homepage. The new page is called: Short Videos of Hope. At some point, you may encounter someone who is searching and in need of Good News from the Bible. You can share this link with them.

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