Obey God Regardless of Results

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” [Daniel 3.16-18]

I have, in the last year, begun to believe that we are to obey God, particularly in the area of prayer, regardless of the outcome we see.

Jesus taught us to pray for God's will on earth, "as it is in heaven." This means that heaven is the standard we are to pray by. This means that in order to know what to pray for on earth, we are simply compelled to see how things are in heaven and pray accordingly.

So, how are things in heaven? By every account, things are good! And, while we have a lot of support material that declares the good things of heaven, we can look specifically the things the Bible says belong to God: salvation (Revelation 7.10), blessing, honor, glory, power, wisdom and strength (Revelation, 5.12; 5.13; 7.12). 

If these things belong to God, then, that is the way it is in heaven. If that is the way it is in heaven, then, we, with all assurance know we are to pray for these things on earth!

So what does this have to do with the three Hebrews above?

Simply put, we are to pray the way we have been taught just like the three Hebrews were to worship the way they were taught. In both cases, the outcome is up to God, not us. The three Hebrews declared that God would deliver them because that was the culmination of all the promises of the Law of God for obedience. However, they were committed to obedience even above results. And so we are to pray for things on earth to be like they are in heaven regardless of the results!

We are to obey God regardless of results. It was through their attitude of total obedience that God showed Himself mighty on behalf of the three Hebrews. It will be through our total obedience to pray as we are instructed that God will show Himself mighty. However, the results of our prayers are not our responsibility - that responsibility rests upon God who commissioned us to do so.

Father, I want to be faithful to obey the specific instructions of Jesus to pray just like He said... for Your will... as it is in heaven.