Engagements With God

“Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey…”

Titus 3:1

There are occasions when the church is to judge sin and take action (1 Corinthians 5:9-13). We are told to judge whether a teacher of God’s Word holds fast to truth (1 John 4:1-3). There are even times when we must discern if others are genuinely born-again or not (2 Corinthians 6:14). As Christians, how can we do any of this with the right heart if we are not pursuing Christ? How can “all these things be added unto you?” If we do not have a devotional life, we will not know holiness. We will not have discernment. We will judge incorrectly and rarely know when an authority has undermined our freedoms in Christ. We will view everything around us as combative and find ourselves exerting energy on matters having no bearing on eternity.

Examine the life of Daniel. Daniel was positioned above all others because of his “excellent spirit,” except over King Darius. When political panderers misguided the king, he signed into law a statute placing himself above God (Daniel 6:6-9). What was Daniel’s response? Did he have a premeditated plan against the government? Did he run off and begin condemning the king for his decision? Did he stir a national revolt? Not at all! Daniel did what he always did. When he “knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days” (Daniel 6:10). Daniel carried wisdom and discernment in his heart from spending time with the Lord. In days of confusion, he knew exactly what to do.

The believer today must take up Daniel’s baton of consistency. When we spend time in communion with Christ, wisdom and discernment follow. When we do not kneel to ordinances blatantly against our Savior, we are not standing in the line of disobedience. Those in authority have gone their way, leaving us with an appearance of defiance. We are simply remaining true to the only One that matters. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let us be combative, but let it be on our knees. This energy is never wasted!

“Your other engagements will run smoothly if you do not forget your engagement with God.”

– C. H. Spurgeon