Why Stay?

Scripture:  Psalm 16:8 - I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Living in Christ, for Christ, takes some staying power.  I am often reminded by the stand made by  the Hebrew boys in Daniel.  They were in a foreign land and refused to bow down to heathen practices.  They were determined not to be seduced by the delicacies of the king’s food or to be subject to other gods.  On one account they are recorded as saying to the King of Babylon, “…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.”  They decided to remain and stay true to the True and Wise God.  How could they?  Today, we, as followers of Christ, meet faith challenges daily.  We find that the battle to choose the way of Christ is apparent everywhere we go:  at home, on the job, at church, etc.  What helps us to stay with Jesus?  What gives us staying power?  Whose report do we believe?  We shall believe the report of the Lord!  We must choose to stay determined and convinced that God is who He says He is.  Determined to cling to Jesus the Christ, the Son of the only Living God.  Such practices as, prayer, strengthening our faith with reading and meditating on God’s Word, singing hymns and pondering Psalms, practicing obedience and holiness (with what we do with our eyes, ears, and bodies).  We are blessed and privileged to be given access to true safety; the same Power which raised Jesus from the dead.  

Prayer:  Dear Lord, we thank You so much for Your strength and power.  You help us stay close to stay safe in Your capable hands.  Even when we go astray, with prayer and worship we know the way to repentance and how to climb back in Your arms again.  You forgive us and You restore us, and for that we say, Thank You, LORD!  In Jesus’ Name-Amen.

(by Lisa Williams)