February 26, 2015

Doing the right thing...

Susanna 22-23

Then Susanna sighed deeply and said, “I am hemmed in on all sides, for if I do this thing, it is death for me; yet if I do not, I will not escape your hands. But it is better for me not to do it and to fall into your hands, than to sin against the Lord.”

Personal Challenge...

This account of Susanna in the preamble to Daniel is so appropriate for what is going on in our world today. The news may not be covering it very much, but in the Middle East we are seeing many Christians being martyred for their faith and their unwillingness to reject their Lord. So many people are asking why they don't just reject Christ and save their lives. Here Susanna is confronted with a false accusation from two upright men in her community who want to take advantage of her and she would rather stand firm in her purity, her commitment to her God and face a trial with two credible witnesses (because of their positions only) that will lie and surely condemn her to death rather than sin against God. Am I willing to look into the barrel of a gun and refuse to deny my Christ knowing that it will be the last thing I do in my life? Am I willing to show my commitment to my Lord at work and in the community when it is not politically correct and suffer shame and humiliation for my God? I can only answer these questions, "I hope so!" Jesus died for me without asking anything from me. Am I willing to take up His cross and die for Him today, tomorrow, and every day after that? Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!