Stand Alone We Must
I hate being alone. It’s one of my greatest sources of fearful anxiety.
If you’ve read 1984 you know Winston’s greatest fear was rats. That’s the one thing that could undo him and Big Brother knew it would. His fear was used to ultimately break him in the end.
Our Big Brother, Satan, knows our weaknesses and seeks to use them to our undoing. (I Peter 5:8-9) I think one common fear of most folks, but especially believers, is the fear of having to stand alone, apart from the general consensus of society.
The reason Christians cave in to the societal pressure to conform is the uncomfortable feeling of being different from the norm. And when that happens we feel very alone, especially as we live our everyday lives in the real world. We’re brave in Church, but when we find ourself in the minority, say at work or in the grocery store, we wilt.
——————————
——————————
My reading in Daniel has focused my attention on the fact that Daniel and his three friends stood alone during very specific times of personal testing. They went against the grain and in doing so were put to the test. They weren’t part of the pervasively politically correct crowd of their day. It took incredible amounts of intestinal fortitude and under-girding by the power of God to oppose the powers that held their lives in the palm of their hands.
*When everybody else was bowing to the pagan, satanic image that Nebuchadnezzar set up, Daniel’s three friends found themselves, alive, in the midst of a furnace of fire. Why? Because they dared to stand alone.
*When everybody else was at home spending a pleasant night in bed because they obeyed the decree to not pray to any god or man except Darius, Daniel spent a night, alive, in the lions’ den. Why? Because he dared to stand alone.
A furnace of fire, a den of lions OR …
A FORCED VACCINE MANDATE …
It makes no difference to God. He can overrule all on the behalf of those that will dare to stand alone.
——————————
*The same was true of Mordecai in the book of Esther.
Esther 3
1 After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him. 2 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. 3 Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment? 4 Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. 6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.
Want to know why he wouldn’t, and didn’t, bow?
“The Persian king was regarded as representative of the chief god, Ormuzd; the seven princes near him represented the seven Amshaspands before the throne of Ormuzd; hence Mordecai (Es 3:4) refused such homage to Haman, the king's prime minister, as inconsistent with what is due to God alone. A weak despot, like Darius, much under the control of his princes, might easily be persuaded that such a decree would test the obedience of the Chaldeans just conquered, and tame their proud spirits. So absolute is the king in the East, that he is regarded not merely as the ruler, but the owner, of the people.” (Jameson-Faucet-Brown Commentary)
Mordecai did not/would not bow because he knew his God was THE only God that could claim the right of sovereign ownership over his body and soul.
——————————
*Paul stood alone for the cause of Christ even as all distanced themselves from him.
II Timothy 4
16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. 17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I WAS DELIVERED OUT OF THE MOUTH OF THE LION. 18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
——————————
*Our Saviour is the ultimate example of what it means to be alone and stand alone — even unto death.
45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
——————————
——————————
What’s the one common take-away from these examples?
As we reflect upon them, we are to be increasingly encouraged, strengthened, emboldened to do likewise.
Because …
Like it or not,
Accept it or not,
*We are being pushed out … from the world and, to a sad extent, from our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
*We are learning the necessity of standing alone in, and by, our Faith. And I’m afraid we ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
*We are having to look deeply within ourselves, perhaps, for the first time in our lives to see what kind of intestinal fortitude we really possess. And, it might be causing us to realize we are more mortar than brick.
But that’s OK because …
Our faith, though weak and insufficient at times, is built upon the solid foundation of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. He knows we are just dust and, in-and-of-ourselves, helpless.
But, we CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens us. We must learn, through necessity, to focus upon Him, draw our intestinal fortitude from Him, and stand alone … in Him alone.
Stand alone??
Yes, we must.
To do so expresses our love to God for sending His Son to stand alone against the world upon the Cross of Calvary for our sins and for our eternal salvation.
Brethren ——
Stand Alone We Can
and …
Stand Alone We Must …
All to the praise and glory of our great God and Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let’s do it.
Trowmen!