Corona Devo 2038

Fickle faith.  We've seen it.  We've lived it.  

In a crowd of believers--they (we?) are all-in.  Hands raised and hearts-thumping...we step forward boldly for God (and mean it).  

But then the beautiful faith-bubble bursts, and life sucker-punches us.

Where is our faith now?

Faraway?  

Or are we running to the Bible for God's direction and peace before we freak out?  

~~~

King Nebuchadnezzar was fickle in faith. When he was hot...he was hot, but when he was not...he was not.

When he got what he wanted (via God), he was all-for/all-about/and all-in for God. And he brought many others with him as he rallied for God.

For instance, King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, and it wasn't one that you just roll-over and go back to sleep and forget about. It disturbed him because he couldn't figure it out.

One night during the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had such disturbing dreams that he couldn’t sleep. (2) He called in his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers,[b] and he demanded that they tell him what he had dreamed. As they stood before the king, (3) he said, “I have had a dream that deeply troubles me, and I must know what it means.”  ~Daniel 2:1-3

The problem was...no one could figure the dream out.  

But God could.  Daniel was brave enough to pray to the Lord for wisdom about it, and God was good enough to give Daniel the explanation.   And then Daniel was bold enough to go to the King with God's explanation.  

Daniel replied, “There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune-tellers who can reveal the king’s secret. (28) But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed. ~Daniel 2:27-28

And so...he did.  
Daniel explained the King's dream to him, and oh(!), was the King happy!  So happy!  

Then King Nebuchadnezzar threw himself down before Daniel and worshiped him, and he commanded his people to offer sacrifices and burn sweet incense before him. (47) The king said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is the greatest of gods, the Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this secret.”

(48) Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men. (49) At Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be in charge of all the affairs of the province of Babylon, while Daniel remained in the king’s court.

King Nebuchadnezzar became a believer, declaring, "Truly, your God is the greatest of gods". And the King took great care of Daniel and his friends because they had been God's messengers.

But not long after this (like--the next verse!), King Nebuchadnezzar built himself a huge (ninety feet tall) statue and he ordered that every one must worship it (not God).

King Nebuchadnezzar forgot how great God was, and then he declared that everyone else forget about God too. King Nebuchadnezzar's faith was fickle.

But not everyone else's was.

But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.”

(13) Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in, (14) Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? (15) I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?” ~Daniel 3:12-15

One minute (when he got what he wanted) King Nebuchadnezzar was praising the Lord, and he was in full-faith mode. But the next minute Nebuchadnezzar was doing nothing of the sort. His fickle faith went from hot to cold. Active to inactive. Alive to dead.

We can see the stark contrast and the obvious flip-of-faith so easily when we are looking at King Nebuchadnezzar. His faith was fickle.

Is ours?

Jesus warned against fickle faith and He helped us understand it by using seeds as an example.

Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. (4) As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. (5) Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. (6) But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. (7) Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. (8) Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. (9) Whoever has ears, let them hear.”  ~Matthew 13:3-9

Let's take our spiritual temperature today. The Lord uses His Word to reveal His Truth to us.

Are we fickle or firm in our faith today?

Blessings, 

Sarah 

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com

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