Blog #6: "But if not"

But if not…

 This phrase has haunted me throughout my Christian walk. My God can save me, but if not… The three Hebrew boys stood before the King when they refused to bow to his statute. They told the king that they would not bow to anyone but their God. The King reminded them that if they refused to bow, they would be thrown into a furnace. Their response is one to be noted. 

 “If that is the case, 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 3:17-18.

 I grew up believing that the important part of this story was when the Hebrew boys told the king that God would deliver them. I have come to realize that this piece, although important, is not the focus. They know that God is all-powerful, and they acknowledge that He may or may not choose to work a miracle. However, the significance of this verse comes in with the Hebrews saying that they will not worship the King’s gods or the gold image. They are not focusing on whether or not they will be saved, but are instead looking at what God has asked of them. He asks them to serve only Him, and to not bow before other gods and that is what they do.

 There are too many times in my life where I am focusing on whether or not God will save me and not on what God is asking of me. I took one of the biggest tests of my life recently. Through the process of studying and preparing, my fear kept trying to control me. I would ask God repeatedly to save me and help me to pass. I focused on whether or not God was going to help me pass and started to forget what I really needed to be doing. This test is just a stepping stone for what I believe God wants me to be doing with my future. God asks that whatever my hand finds to do, that I will do it to the best of my abilities. He also tells me that I can have peace if I will rest in Him and that His power is made perfect through my weakness. These were the promises for me to be claiming. This is where my focus needed to lie, not in the uncertainties. Because, looking back, no matter whether I was going to pass or fail, God was still asking me to live the same way. If I would be willing to take a step back, and trust that God holds my future, then I don’t have to be afraid and can focus on claiming His promises.

No matter what the outcome, the Hebrews were still going to do what God asked of them. Whether they were going to live or die was not what was important. Instead, they focused on obedience and God took care of the rest.

 Are you willing to let go of the future and just focus on what God is asking of you in the present? Let go of whether God will save you, and choose to worship Him no matter the outcome. This life is temporary but choosing to serve Him is an eternal decision.

-Anonymous