Skip to main content

Ah, Nebuchadnezzar....


                "Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
                Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:15-18) 

            Politics is ugly, even at the best of times. Yesterday, President Obama apparently declared that schools that expect funding must provide transgender children access to the restroom and locker room that makes those children feel comfortable. For the moment, put aside the actual issue (as crucial as you may think it is.) The president has made many declarations demanding obedience from people of the nation. That obedience demands the violation of Biblical principles and teaching.
           It is unlikely the upcoming election is going to change the situation. Whether the demand that we bow to whatever happens to be the current "image of gold" is made by the president, or by society or some of its subgroups, the demand will be made, and the number and range of demands will increase. We have no more right to say "no" than Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did. They said "no" and they were willing to face the consequences, whatever they might be.
           Paul had much the same response. "If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. (Philippians 1:22-24)
            I do not know for certain that it will reach the point of being a "life or death" question in your lifetime, but what if it does? It already has in many areas of the world. We would be foolish to think we are somehow exempt.
           I'm not calling anyone to join any movement, write to any political official, or even share this post (though that would be nice.) What I am suggesting is that these questions are the questions that every Christian in every generation must face. Will you stand in accordance with the teaching of the Bible, even if it means dying? Will you answer  as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, or the martyrs have, or will you bend your knee in service to the golden image called "Kindness," "Inclusion" and "Tolerance"?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On the Calendar
Orbiting of Skylab 1

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Higher Thoughts

  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the  Lord . “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)           The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,   for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord      so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:15-16) If you read about the ancient gods of the various peoples, you’ll find that they think just like people. In fact, they think just like the sort of people we really wouldn’t want to be around. They think like the most corrupt Hollywood producer or, like hormone overloaded teens with no upbringing.   It’s embarrassing to read. I have a friend who argues that because God is not just like us, He is so vastly dif...
2 comments
Read more

Think About These Things

                 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8) This passage is a major challenge for me. Like everyone else, I struggle to keep my thoughts from wandering off into the weeds, then wondering what possible benefits those weeds might have… Sigh. But as a writer, I have to delve at least a little into the ignoble, wrong, impure, unlovely, and debased. After all, there’s no story if everything’s just as it should be and everyone’s happy. As Christians, there are times when we need to deal with all the negatives, but that makes it even more important that we practice turning our minds by force of attention to what is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. It’s just too easy to get stuck in a swamp. With my...
1 comment
Read more

A Virgin?

           Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)           This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18)           But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”            “How will this be,” Mary asked the...
Post a Comment
Read more