Take A Stand
This week we had the opportunity to vote. It’s a privilege that many other countries do not have. With our votes we have the opportunity to change things and make them better for our communities, our states and our nation. But sometimes policies and laws are given that are not right and do not serve a Godly purpose. What do you do then? You take a stand.
Shiphrah and Puah were two Hebrew midwives that were faced with that exact situation. A mandate had been given by the king that all male Hebrew babies were to be killed. These women would told by the king that when they were helping the Hebrew woman during childbirth, if the baby was a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live. (Exodus 1:16) What a horrible and ungodly command.
The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.
Imagine the courage it must have taken for them to defy the orders of a king. Where did that courage come from? Their faith and trust in God. They feared God more than they feared Pharaoh. The bible tells us of many other courageous people like Esther and the three Hebrews who faced the penalty of death, but still took a stand for the things of God over the demands of men.
God does not expect us to obey those in authority when they ask us to disobey Him or His Word. Whole nations can be caught up in immorality, racial hatred, cruelty and other injustices, but that doesn’t mean that following the majority or the authority is always right. Whenever we are ordered to disobey God’s Word, we must choose to take a stand and obey God rather than man. (Acts 5:29)
As a result of their courage and faithfulness to God, He blessed Shiphrah and Puah and gave them families of their own. In Esther’s story God saved the Hebrew nation and in the case of the three Hebrews, He walked with them in the fiery furnace before they were delivered. God is faithful!
Are there areas in your life that you need to take a stand for the things of God? These stories are given to us in His Word as encouragement for when we face similar situations. They are reminders that when we are faced with the choice of following man or God, we are far better off fearing and obeying the Lord regardless of the outcome.
Be Intentional about standing up for the things of God.
Praises & Prayers
Father, thank you for the freedoms that we enjoy. I pray that we will use that freedom to stand for things of God even when it seems like we are standing alone. Help us to remember that You are with us, walking in the fire and that You will give us the courage we need. Help us to honor and obey You above anyone else. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Messages from His Word
Daniel 3: 16-18 ERV
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to explain these things to you. If you throw us into the hot furnace, the God we serve can save us. And if he wants to, he can save us from your power. But even if God does not save us, we want you to know, King, that we refuse to serve your gods. We will not worship the gold idol you have set up.”