Day 77: For Such a Time As This...Dwelling With Distinction

Last week we began a series of weekly reflections considering an irresistible Christian response to the current COVID19 crisis. The first installment is HERE and today we continue with reflection on Daniel 1-6. Tomorrow we will resume our daily Scripture readings, meditations, and reflections. Please take advantage of this season to re-engage our journey through God’s Word. Together we will find stability in studying Scripture!

Will We Curb Our Enthusiasm For Worship?

​Have you ever been to watch a favorite sports team play an away game, where you and a few lone fans are cheering for the visiting team in a sea of fans for the home team? If so, you can identify with how the situation compels you to show your colors more, representing your team with more fervor and fever. A true fan will never compromise the colors because you are on away turf.
 
Today’s crisis feels like an away game for many Christians as we are shaken out of our sanctuaries into the stay and shelter strategy adopted to flatten the COVID19 curve. Will we cultivate or curb our enthusiasm for Christ? Will we be self-preserving or participate in gospel advancement? Will our neighbors see a distinction in our lives and love, drawn to the worship of God?  Will our churches be fuller on Sunday mornings after the crisis, with new worshippers of Jesus?
 
Distinction draws worshippers
The book of Daniel brings to mind felt board stories of the lion’s den and fiery furnace. For the purpose of diving into conversation on irresistible faith we will focus on the distinction leading to the dilemma of the familiar stories.
 
Taken from their home field and sent into exile @ 586 BC, Daniel and his friends were in the foreign land of Babylon. They could have compromised their faith and accommodated to the dominate culture to win favor and comfort but the identity of Daniel and his friends was rooted deeper than self-preservation.
 
The distinction of Daniel and his friends is seen in three clear ways: In chapter 1 Daniel refrains from Babylonian food. In chapter 3 Daniel and his friends refuse to worship the authority and power of Babylon, bowing in worship to the Lord alone. Finally, in chapter 6, the pressure from the foreign king to stop praying to the Lord compelled a deeper fervency from Daniel and his friends to pray to the Lord alone.
 
Dwelling with distinction from the dominant culture is used by the Divine to draw new worshippers to Himself. Daniel’s witness is empowered by the Spirit of God, stewarded as stabilizer for leaders seeking to interpret dreams (2) and discern the times. (5) God’s Spirit will always empower the witness of His people.
 
The distinction of Daniel and his friends was the driving force in the advancement of God’s Kingdom during their time in exile. Psalm 137:4 portrays the distinction with song, asking how long God’s people will sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land. The Psalmist’s question and the narrative of Daniel challenge God’s people today to continue singing the Lord’s song with our lives and love, worshipping outside our sanctuaries and in our neighborhoods, not curbing our enthusiasm for Jesus Christ.
 
Lives of sacrifice in a culture of self-preservation
Our neighbors long for security and stability due to the uncertainty of this COVID19 storm more than the people in Babylon did during the away game of exile for Daniel and his friends. Christians today can confidently sow seeds of hope in fertile fields as we have the security of a sovereign Shepherd who is with us, leading us, and working this storm for our good and His glory. Christians have stability on the Rock of Jesus Christ, His work and teaching, and this storm will make us stronger. In view of this mercy we are free to live lives of sacrifice in worship to God and service to others.
 
The uncertainty of our COVID19 storm is exposing the culture’s propensity to be self-preserving.  People are stock piling everything from toilet paper to weapons. Christians are certain of God’s faithfulness and have a never-ending stockpile of His promises and love. When we feast on God’s covenant faithfulness through Jesus Christ and fast from the fear our culture is feeding on, then worship and prayer will flow freely from our hearts and love will flow naturally from our lips and our lives. What does this distinction look like?
 
Self-preservation or Sacrificial Serving: Members of our church had a child within the last year. Rather than retreat in fear they are living lives of worship through sharing and serving. Through a local ministry partner they have adopted a teen mom whose needs are growing faster than the rate of recorded corona infection in the US. Their new little one is helping mom and dad take diapers and supplies to their teen mom friend.
 
Self-protection or Radical Generosity: This week I saw radical generosity of time and resources being put into action by Christians. University students home from school serving front line health workers by babysitting their children forced home by school closures. Churches buying lunches for staff of non-profits serving on the front lines with homeless and the poor, propping up local restaurants at the same time. Families seeking to provide meals for homes in the city with food insecurity. And I spoke with several well-resourced individuals who are strategically increasing their giving to increase hope and security through non-profits working in upstream solutions.
 
Self-promotion or Service through social networking:  I am hearing story after story of people finding strength through calling others to check in and pray for them and sharing hope through imaginative postings in various forms of social media. Christians are flooding social media networking with hope and love.
 
Distinction draws people to Christ- Will ours?
The point is NOT “be like Daniel!” as Daniel and his friends were sinful people just like us. But wisdom compels us to see how their dwelling with distinction was used by the Lord to draw worshippers to Himself and point to the person of ultimate distinction, Jesus Christ.
 
Jesus was fully human but led His divine life of love with the upmost sacrifice and service. Jesus dwelled among humanity with distinction, rather than being a self-serving King, He suffered to the point of death on a cross so believers can find life in Him. Jesus lost all self-preservation so we can have security in the love of the Father. Jesus loved us with radical generosity, while we were infected with sin, so we can love others with radical generosity during this storm of infection.
 
Will our churches be fuller on Sunday mornings with new worshippers of Jesus when this storm passes? Time will tell whether or not our Father is pleased to draw new worshippers to Jesus. (John 6:44) We can only seek to sow seed as passionately as the Lord allows, hoping the Spirit empowers our witness. Remain secure in the shepherding care of the Lord as you find stability in the person and work of Jesus. From this mercy we must dwell with distinction by living lives of worship through sacrifice and service. May God be pleased to draw new worshippers to Himself.
 
More mercy.