Tough Situations

Ever get into those sticky situations and find yourself just not sure how to handle it?

Life is full of them.  One tough situation after another.  As a parent, as a minister, a husband, coach ... you name it - those tough situations always arise.  Why?  because we deal with people, people who make mistakes, people who are self-absorbed, and basically because we're still learning... me too!
The minute we think we have all the answers for all the situations, I promise you'll find yourself in one without the answer.

So how are we to handle these situations...

I love reading the Old Testament, great stories, great heroes, great faith revealed, and great lessons learned and lost and learned again.  The OT really shows the humaness of the heroes of the faith.  I love reading and just wondering.... how in the world would I have handled a situation like that ... because I'm pretty sure I'll never have to face those exact situations!

But what we glean from them, helps we walk through the situations I find myself in.

Daniel 2 - one verse just lept off the page as I came across it.  Here's the scene  - the king has had a terrible dream and doesn't understand it... who does?  they seem so far off.  Does God still speak through dreams and visions?  Why not!  but that's for another day...

The king torn apart by this dream calls all the peeps of the time that are supposed to be able to help him understand the mysteries of this world and asks them to interpret his dream.  Probably not an uncommon request.  And their reply, also not uncommon - OK.... tell us the dream!
Sounds like a reasonable comeback, I mean it happened in your head not mine... so tell me the dream. But the king refuses - knowing they could just make up a response.  He demands you tell me my dream AND the interpretation or I tear you limb from limb.  At this point I'd be rethinking my decision to become a "wise man" of the day.   Since they are clearly unable to do this the king orders all "wise men" killed.

Daniel, sleeping in his home, being a wise man, was on the list to be killed.  So the kings men go to find Daniel and kill him ... and ... here is the verse that just jumped off the page...
What would you do if someone broke into your home to kill you?  Sticky situation, wouldn't you agree?

So here's is what was said about Daniel and his response ... "When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, came to kill them, Daniel handled the situation with wisdom and discretion."


Wisdom and discretion ...


How many times have I responded without either of those tools in my belt!  I respond out of rage and fear ... pride and strength ... hate ... power ... 
Whatever will put me on top - will get back at you - will leave you in a place worse than when you came in the door...


But how awesome would it be to have WISDOM and DISCRETION ready to go - when someone breaks into your room to drag you off and tear you from limb from limb.  


I'm pretty sure any other response from Daniel and this would have been the shortest book in the OT about a guy who became a vegetarian and was then torn limb from limb!  But because he leaned on wisdom and not his own his story is told, his faith is grown, and God uses him to bring a nation to it's knees and bring glory to God through such wisdom and discretion.

maybe I need a little more of that in my daily life, in my house, in my ministry, in my marriage ...

In Light of what you see...

So here's the deal... I'm sure I've read this passage over and over again.  I know this story how it begins and how it ends. But I wanted to read this with some new eyes.  I want to not just read the story as if it was for my kids' bedtime story, but I wanted to hear it as it was written, for me... to challenge and change me.

This must be a confusing situation to be in... your homeland, invaded and conquered; and you, your family, and friends are taken into slavery.

Then you are taken out of captivity and placed under the king's care.  What are you thinking at this time? Awesome - I'm under the care of the king.... or who is this guy, he took me & my gang out of our homes and now he wants us to be under his care!  I'd have mixed feelings and emotions.  The reality that these guys had, that I'm not sure I cling to enough is the fact they already had a king... one they were already under the care of!

This may have seemed like a rescue for some - maybe even a "salvation" for others.  But for Daniel and his peeps, it was a change in location, not a change in regiem.  They still served the same king, and were looking for his provision.

And as they were offered amazing food - FROM THE KING - Daniel and his crew, turned it down.  How often does a great deal seem like it turns up in our favor, and all we have to do is one "little" thing, that we know would be the end of the world, but wouldn't be the thing of highest integrity! So we forsake it for the glory of the temporary!

And what happens to Daniel - the world doesn't understand... and why would they.  If God is God, then why would we think he should be understood, make sense, do things logically, in our way... if that is our god, then we have someone that is no greater than you or I.  I need a God that doesn't think like me, but has it all under control.  If what I do always makes sense to those around me... I'm living in comfort, not in faith!

So the king's servant questions Daniel's request to not eat what the earthly king has given him.  Daniel instead relies on the sustaining power of what he knows God can do for him ... and here is the kicker -
vs12-13 Daniel makes a simple suggestion ... "Test us...then make your decision in light of what you see".

When we rely on what God gives us, when I place my faith in him and turn away from the simple pleasures of the world... the just this once!  it's no big deal! God will forgive me! it'll put me in a better place to do more for God.... when we have to rationalize it away... we know that there is a WISER path to take.... and when we take that path - PEOPLE CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE!

What do people see in me that's different?  or am I just on of the captives eating at the table of the king... and what he provides instead of eating from the hand of the KING and what he requires?


Challenge:  for me 10days - it was what Daniel put out there, so for me for 10 days, I'm going to pray with my wife, spend time in the word and journal, lead my family, and to the best of my ability depend on God's provision for me and my family and my ministry!

I'm Baaaack

So, I know it's been a long time since I've blogged .... and well let's just say that I've been through A LOT since my last blog post...

to recap...
divorced
Laid Off
Remarried
New Job

Ok, now that we're all caught up - I think this blog is really going to be something different than it was before.  The last time I was posting was as if someone else was going to stop by, read it, learn from it, cherish my very words ...

But who am I that they would want to even know about me and what I have to say....

so this Blog, won't be advertised, broadcast, talked about, FB, or twittered... it's just going to be my thoughts.  And if my wife and God are the only ones ever to read it, well that is fine with me!

So if you happen along this blog, you'll find my thoughts, my daily journal readings, my sermons, my frustrations... and if you want to chime in, GREAT... if not, well it's not for you anyway!

till next time, which hopefully the gap between these things won't be the 2.5 years like it was last time.

SC