Wednesday, October 5: Isaiah 36- What would you do?.

Take a moment and put yourself in Hezekiah’s sandals. You are king and a vast army is marching against you. In fact they have marched throughout your nation and captured every bunkered city and now they have encircled your capital city. You send three trusted officials to meet with the attaching general and he requires unconditional and total surrender. Not only does the general require unconditional and total surrender, he ‘loud-speakers’ his demands so that all your soldiers and people huddled in the capital city hear his unequivocal demands.

What would you do?

Now add to your thinking that your prophet has told you not to surrender and not to seek help from Egypt. Why? Because the Lord would fight for and protect you.

What would you do?

Oh, one last reminder.  You are king and your decision will affect thousands of lives. If you make the wrong decision thousands of your people will die.

What would you do?

Reading this morning, it hit me that hypothetical decisions and real ones are very different. And hypothetical faith is very different than real faith. I can think all I want about what I think I would do in this or that situation. Thoughts like this can be helpful. However thoughts are not the same as when I am faced with a real situation.

Hezekiah had a real problem and his faith would inform his decision.

I am not a king and my problems are generally not of the magnitude that Hezekiah faced but most days I face real faith questions.

I hear of a missionary in need at worship or in a solicitation letter.  Will I give or not?

A family member or friend stings me with a verbal dressing down.  Will I retaliate by getting even or ahead or will I ‘turn the other cheek?’

The nice weather is fading and this weekend is forecast to be beautiful.  Will I take a trip to see the colors or take the boat out for one more sail?  That means skipping weekly worship.  What will I do?

Faith is lived out day in and day out in the decisions we make, in the voices we listen to, and options we consider.

Real faith is lived out in real ways…

How are you doing living out your faith???

Lord, I pray for faith, real, vital, living faith. I pray for the kind of faith that allows me to make decisions with my money and my time and my attitudes and actions that honor You, that advance Your kingdom, that point to You as the source of my life and that brings You glory. I pray this in the matchless name of Jesus. Amen.