No, I Won't Do It!

But I replied, “Should someone in my position run from danger? Should someone in my position enter the Temple to save his life? No, I won’t do it!” [Nehemiah 6.11] 

Nehemiah's enemies tried just about everything they knew to intimidate him and cause him to react out of fear. But Nehemiah refused to be moved by fear.

What a life-lesson for us today!

What, in our lives, repeatedly warns us of impending danger trying to elicit reaction from us distracting us from the work God has called us to? Debt, insurance, medicine and technology. These things all warn us that life won't be as good, or will even be impossible, without their services. Consequently, their demands for payment effectively enslave their "customers" rendering them useless to the work, and for the testimony, of God.

Should someone who is a child of Almighty God run from the dangers that debt, insurance, medicine and technology all repeatedly warn of? I should say not!

At what point do God's children say, "No, I won't do it!"?

What do God's children overwhelmingly say instead? They say, "God gave us debt, insurance, medicine and technology" and keep right on making offerings of their hard-earned wages to these man-made idols as if God never proclaimed Himself as "Keeper of His Own" warning against alternatives:

You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. [Exodus 20.4-6]

While debt, insurance, medicine and technology are all gods of comfort, they are not God. Their benefits are all temporal at best. God will indeed not prevent His people from worshiping them but He will withdraw and withhold His power from those who do. How can I say this? The Bible says idols are powerless as are those who trust them:

Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell. They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and throats but cannot make a sound. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them. [Psalm 115.4-8]

The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have  mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and mouths but cannot breathe. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them. [Psalm 135.15-18]  

Just recently, at the church I attend, there was what became a "healing service" where numerous people went down to be prayed for but no one was visibly and notably healed on the spot (like Jesus did). Oh, but the prayers were intense and tears were shed! This scenario is sadly the norm in almost every civilized Christian society. People (myself included) keep praying for and "claiming" healing, provision, protection, etc. all the while paying their hard-earned offerings (silver and gold) to the idols (shaped by human hands) of debt, insurance, medicine and technology so they can "give God the glory" for their temporal remedies. Yes, I am being as sarcastic as I possibly can.

Again, at what point do God's children say, "No, I won't do it!"? Hint: It will never happen as long as God's children are intimidated and driven by the fear tactics of debt, insurance, medicine and technology!

"BUT...," as is likely resonating in Christians reading this at this moment, "If I don't take my meds, I might die!" Oh, and what a tragedy that would be, right? To be with Jesus? C'mon, Christians, where's your faith? Most Christians I know fear death as much or, in some cases, even more, than unbelievers. How is that a testimony of God's love, peace and provision? (It is not in the least.)

I am tired of unanswered prayers! Aren't you? Has our embrace of idols shielded us from God's miraculous provisions? We won't know unless we do something about it.

Should someone in our position as a "child of God" run from danger?

Father, I want to say, "No, I won't do it!" regarding running from danger into the arms of the idols of debt, insurance, medicine and technology... But everyone will call me stupid. I might die. I could suffer, I might lose everything, I might... glorify You. May I be found in faith that pleases You - not "faith" that makes me comfortable... So be it.