What is the state of our faith?

I led the bible study this evening in CG on Daniel 2:31-49, where Daniel upon God's revelation, revealed Nebuchadnezzar's dream and interpretation of the dream. The overall theme of the bible study lesson is God's sovereignty and control of the world. No matter what has happened in the past and no matter what will happen in the future, God is.

The interesting question that was asked during the study which made me think was this: what does this chapter teach you about God's activity in the unfolding of human history?

If you look at human history, we see that life has been getting from bad to worse and from that to an even much worse state. In terms of strength of nations--like the feet of iron in Nebuchadnezzar's dream--we are indeed been getting more advanced, more successful and more forward in our thinking and our achievements. We are gaining and achieving more and more.

But--and this is a very big but--the core of what we are is broken. Humankind is more and more broken than ever before, and it will continue to be more broken, unless we let Jesus take hold of our lives.

With groups like ISIS beheading their fellow men like they mean nothing, what has life on earth comes to? And if we are being beaten and thrown into the desert, and about to be beheaded, will we trust and depend on our sovereign LORD? Will we be like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Daniel 3, who made no excuses but walked into the furnace of fire. No excuses like how we will make: "I'll do it this time, God will forgive me", "I'll bow down but only on the outside, I still belong to God on the inside". No, they said instead, "we trust in God to protect, but if we die, we die. We still trust and worship Him."

What then is the state of our faith? Your faith? My faith?

May God indeed give us the strength to say this: For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

pearlie