Over 20 years ago, Casting Crowns released a song that became a hit that spent 6 weeks as the #1 song on Billboard.
The song’s title is “Who Am I”, and the lyrics say:
“Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth would care to know my name?
Would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I, that the bright and morning star would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart?
Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who you are...”
Psalm 8 asks the same questions. God made us in His image, which is awe-inspiring to think about. We are just a little lower than the heavenly beings. We have glory and honor. We are rulers over God’s works. Everything is under our feet.
What’s amazing is the fact that we haven’t earned our position or appointment. We didn’t have any prior experience or a resume. Nobody wrote us a letter of recommendation.
But before we become too proud, we need to answer some questions. Who made us? Who made us a little lower than the heavenly beings? Who crowned us with glory and honor? Who made us ruler over God’s works? Who put everything under our feet?
But Psalm 8 can’t be read outside of the context of the identical first and last verses:
“LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”
That puts us in our place! Though we occupy an amazingly high place, we must remember that it is a God-given place. We may be crowned, but it is only by grace.
As we approach this new year, what if we kept these thoughts in mind? How might it shape how we think about, “Who am I?” How might it change our outlook on life?
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
Revelation 21:1-5 (ESV)
The New Heaven and the New Earth
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Have you ever given thought to what your life will be like once your time on earth is complete? I do not spend a great deal of time imagining it myself, but I do know this. John’s description of what is to come in the book of Revelation is breathtaking. So breathtaking, in fact, that he often struggles to find words adequate enough to describe the glory of eternity.
I am sure I am not alone in finding the book of Revelation challenging to interpret at times. Yet one thing is clear. Revelation is a book about the glorious and victorious Jesus Christ, who will defeat Satan once and for all and who will ultimately make all things new.
As we begin a new year, perhaps you are longing for something new in your own life. Maybe you are already reflecting on the changes that need to be made in order to recenter your heart on the Lord. Let me encourage you with this. Place your trust in the Lord, who is in the business of newness.
This Sunday, we will explore the promise of an everlasting covenant. A covenant that will endure for all eternity. A covenant in which God Himself will dwell with His people in the new creation. My prayer is that as you step into this new year, your greatest desire would be to draw nearer to the One who is making all things new.
In Christ,
Pastor Blake
You're listening to Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church's podcast. We'd love to worship with you today!
Today's message unpacks the new & better covenant found in Jesus Christ. This comes from our Senior Pastor, Aaron Klein, and was part of our Christmas Eve service.
Enjoy & happy holidays!
At some point, King David had time to reflect on the state of things after his palace was built and God had given him “rest from all his enemies around him.” Maybe he felt a tinge of shame that the home of God’s ark of the covenant was merely a tent, and so he decided to build a more permanent house for the ark. Initially, Nathan gave him the go-ahead, until God told Nathan otherwise.
Through the prophet Nathan, God revealed that he had bigger plans for His servant. David would have a dynasty that would last forever. From an outside perspective, God fulfilled those promises – David had a son in Solomon who would take the throne and continue David’s kingdom. But eventually Judah fell and was ruled by others.
So what was God talking about by an everlasting kingdom? As we will learn this week, it was all pointing to David’s descendant Jesus – the Son of God – who would establish a kingdom for God’s people that would last forever. This kingdom would be ruled by a king who would never waver or fail, and who would bring true peace upon the earth.
As we gather together for worship this week, on the Sunday before Christmas, I pray that God will meet you wherever you are and with whatever you need. His Good News is great news for weary hearts, and it allows us to press on when things seem dark. The King is on the throne!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
Why do people make promises that they have no intention of keeping? All of us have probably experienced that from time to time. “Need help babysitting? Just give me a call.” “Need help moving? My truck is yours.” Yet when we go to take them up on their offer, it’s like they forgot what they had promised. Of course, all of us fall into the same trap. How often do we make promises to others OR ourselves about the future that we don’t keep?
So, as we turn our attention to the next covenant promise of God, we see that the people have been waiting for quite some time. Between the time of Abraham and Moses, hundreds of years have elapsed. It’s no stretch to believe that by the time of the Exodus, people were starting to question God.
And yet, out of a burning bush, God calls Moses. Then, later, out of the fire of a mountain, God calls a people. Well, this week, as we turn our attention to the covenant that God made with the people of Israel through Moses, we will see that it is a challenging covenant to study. Why? Because it contains within it elements of works, even though it is a part of a broader covenant of grace. However, what we will also be reminded of is the fact that God’s people could never owe their salvation to works...it’s all grace!
And that should bring us joy!
As you can see, we’re going deep in theology this week, so bring a humble heart posture and a head ready to learn. I look forward to seeing you either in person or online!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
Genesis 15:1-6 (ESV)
God’s Covenant With Abram
15 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue[a] childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.”4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son[b] shall be your heir.” 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
Have you ever had to wait for something? I mean, really, wait. I’m not talking about that Amazon package that got delayed or the coffee that should have been ready five minutes ago. I’m talking about a time when God called you into a season of waiting. Those seasons can be hard. They test us. They show how quickly we grow impatient and how easily we lose our peace.
Part of the reason is that the world around us has trained us to be this way. We live in a culture that is increasingly impatient, always on edge, and ready to lash out at the slightest inconvenience. The only way we can truly combat this growing temptation is by being nurtured in God’s Word and holding fast to His promises.
That is exactly what Abraham was called to do. God called Abraham to be set apart, to live faithfully before Him, and to wait for the promised heir. God established a covenant with Abraham—a new beginning—and promised: “I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him whom dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Abraham believed God, but then he had to wait—a long time—before seeing this promise fulfilled.
This Sunday, we will explore the life of Abraham, the call to wait, and the promise of peace that only comes from the Prince of Peace.
In Christ,
Pastor Blake
As we gather together with family over the course of this week, many of our homes will be filled with laughter and joy. Of course, even in the best of homes, we realize that few ever escape some form of trouble. Sadly, many are filled with brokenness that spills out into the world around them.
From the beginning, the earth that God created was meant to be filled with goodness, and as we have seen in our last sermon series, men and women were instructed to take good care of it. However, before long, Adam and Eve brought trouble into their home and the whole human race, which spilled out into Cain murdering Abel and Lamech promoting vengeance as a way of life. By Noah’s time, the earth was filled with social disaster, corruption, envy, murder, lust, and more.
The result was that God decided to do something about it. Justice would be administered. However, Noah found favor in the eyes of God, and he and his family would be spared through an ark that God told them to build. The God who promised to crush the serpent’s head would not give up on His promises!
As we will see in our study together this week, all of the covenant promises of God point to the covenant of grace that we have in Jesus Christ. Christ was born at Christmas as God’s revelation of how we find favor with God and are saved from our sins. How? We have to board the “ark” that is Jesus Christ, through faith in his gracious love.
As we gather for Thanksgiving this week and begin the journey of Advent, may we be reminded that when the floodwaters of sin rise, we can be thankful for the only One who saves us from drowning.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
For many people, doors are the first form of protection against the harm that would enter their homes. For others, that is not enough, and so they not only lock their doors but they deadbolt them as well. And still for others, they install peepholes or security cameras so that they can see what is outside before they let someone in. The reality is that outside of God’s presence, all sorts of harm seek to enter our lives.
In Genesis 4, God warns Cain that sin is waiting just outside his door, waiting to devour him. Sin is loitering at the threshold. But as we learn, we are faulty doorkeepers; we tire easily of keeping watch, and we let down our guard. And what is the result? Cain killed Abel and sought to cover up the murder. From that moment on, sin would continue like a runaway freight train.
That’s why we need a better watchman. Christ is the faithful doorkeeper who stands at the opening where sin lurks. It is Jesus who watches over the door to his people’s hearts. And when sin enters, it is Christ’s innocent blood that cries out on our behalf.
As we finish our “Sovereign” series this week, we see that even though sin increases, grace increases all the more. Christ is the better Adam. He is the better Abel. And he is the better guardsman for our lives. Sin is lurking at our doors, but Jesus also “stands at the door and knocks.” Would you open the door to Him and allow Him to protect your heart today and for eternity?
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
Genesis 3:1-15
The Fall (ESV)
3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You[a] shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,[b] she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
Have you ever read Genesis 3 and thought to yourself, “If I were there, I would have done it differently”? Many of us like to believe that we would have made a better choice than Adam and Eve. We imagine that we’d have the strength to say no to the serpent—or that we wouldn’t have entertained a conversation with him in the first place. But the truth is, we wouldn’t have done any better. Scripture makes it clear that we all share in the responsibility for the decision Adam and Eve made when they rebelled against God.
Scripture tells us that the serpent was “crafty.” The Hebrew word used here, ʿārûm, appears only eleven times in the Old Testament. It often carries a negative connotation, associated with trickery or deceit. The serpent’s craftiness, then, is not wisdom used for good but cunning used for manipulation—distorting God’s Word to lead humanity astray.
Here’s the reality: the serpent was just as crafty in the beginning as he is today. Praise be to God for His Son, Jesus Christ, who, by His death and resurrection, has defeated Satan and his trickery. Yet Satan is still called the “prince of the air.” As Christians, we need to study God’s Word — not only to draw closer to Him, but also to understand the schemes of the enemy.
This Sunday, we will be looking at the Fall: who our adversary is, what sin did to our relationship with God, and God’s ultimate plan to restore that relationship.
Many Blessings,
Pastor Blake
“The LORD God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” - Genesis 2:18
In Genesis 2, we find a close-up on the human experience – we were not meant to be alone! Before Adam even realized it, God saw Adam’s need and provided for him. This beautiful expression of God’s love and care is seen in the fact that Adam didn’t have to go hunting for a spouse – God brought her to him! And we get to see an example of the pattern for weddings to come.
This is the Bible’s way of telling us that marriage is from God, established as a creation ordinance. Marriage was not invented by a human being; it was instituted by God when he created us “male and female” and brought Adam and Eve together. That means that marriage is sacred.
But it also reveals our need for relationship – human beings were not meant to be alone. As image-bearers of our Creator who lived in perfect communion of Father, Son, and Spirit, so we are in need of communion with one another. As a church, we can play a special role in nurturing marriage relationships, but we also know that for those who are in a season of singleness (by choice or circumstance), we can provide a place of belonging.
But for all those in a season of healthy marriages, for those in a season of a lonely marriage, and for all those in a season of singleness, what we are reminded of is that all earthly relationships point us to the One in whom we find our deepest longings fulfilled – Jesus Christ! May we find our hope in him as we gather together this week!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
As we learned last week, Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought contamination into God’s creation. It’s not something that we have to imagine; it’s something that we see and feel every day since we are a part of this story. When Adam and Eve sinned, it changed everything. It forced them (and us) onto a dead-end street and into a huge sinkhole.
And even though God makes a promise of hope that is to come, there are still judgments that befall the people. Pain, sweat, thorns, disordered desires, and ruined relationships – all of it is a result of sin, and all of it is judged by a just God. But once again, even as He banishes them from the Garden, we see God’s mercy as He provides clothes for the crown of His creation,
Yes, we try to amuse ourselves with the best the world has to offer, but we still recognize that we are living “East of Eden.” And “East of Eden” is not a pleasant place to live. It's a place filled with “thorns and thistles.” It’s a place where we work hard, but find the problems of life are still choking out our joy and satisfaction. And it’s a place that we know is not our home.
Why? Because we long to get back to the Garden! We long to go home to God. And as we will see this week, the only way we have access to the true tree of life and a restored Eden is through Jesus Christ. My hope is that you will see (and know) God’s love and grace this week, even in the midst of judgment.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
“Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” - Genesis 2:7
We know that life is a gift, but it is easy to forget. We feel the pressures from the world around us, prompting us to believe we are self-made; after all, we know where babies come from. Or we think that we are who we are because we’ve worked hard to get there.
But Genesis 2 tells us a different story. It reminds us that we are of dust and that God’s breath brought that dust into life. Why are we who we are? Because of the life-breath of God! Our very breath depends on him.
Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that, from moment to moment, we rely on the gracious gift of breath that makes human life possible? That makes God the constant source of our being, not us. At the same time, we also serve a God who sees our vulnerabilities and knows the challenges of being human.
And that points us to Jesus, who not only sees them, but who has experienced them in the flesh. What gives us hope is that Jesus, who was clothed with our own flesh, died, rose to new life, and is now ruling with God in heaven. To think...The dust from which we were made has entered the heavenly throne room on our behalf! Knowing that, we can sing together with the Psalmist who remembers that we are dust in Psalm 103:1, “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.”
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
“Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” - Genesis 2:3
We all live in a world that pushes us to run faster and work harder. How many of you feel the pressures? Just one look at your calendar and you see the busyness of life color coded in all its glory! Except it’s not glory...It’s draining!
And yet when we look at scripture, we discover the God-ordained rhythm of life. It’s God-ordained because God is the very first Sabbath keeper. As we discovered last week, the first six days of creation were filled with a flurry of activity. God released His creative energy, and planets were born, the stars were set in place, and the earth began teeming with life. But on the seventh day, the Creator rested.
It was God who first started the rhythm of six days of work followed by one day of rest. He is the one who established the pattern in the very beginning, and He gave it to His people as a gift in Exodus 20. And because we have been made in His image, this pattern is built into the very fabric of who we are.
We would be wise to reflect the life of the Creator where we follow the rhythm of work and rest. As we prepare for worship this week, may we “remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” I look forward to seeing you in person or online (though, remember, if bodily able – in person is the preferred option).
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” - Genesis 1:1; 31
Have you ever stopped to ponder the wonders of creation, and by that, I mean more than just a beautiful sunset, or the fall colors of leaves, or the splendor of mountains? Bumble bees covered in so much pollen that they can barely fly. Colorful banana spiders and their intricate webs. Even snakes or fat toads that end up in your garage and scare you.
There is something beautiful and good about God’s creation that points to the fact that God is the ultimate creator. Yes, human beings can make things, but we make things out of created matter. Only God can create things out of nothing, and each one of those things points to the creativity of God. Imagine God’s smile as he stretched the giraffe’s neck! Imagine His joy at the gazelle leaping!
But the sovereign God who created everything is also sustains God who sustains everything. He is attentive to His creation. He cares for it.
That means that when you and I feel formless and void, when we feel as though things are out of control, when we weep at the challenges we face, we are reminded that there is a God who created us and who sustains us. As we start a new sermon series together that walks through the opening pages of Genesis, we will see that God is sovereign and in control. We can trust Him.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
John 13:1-17 (ESV)
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet,[a] but is completely clean. And you[b] are clean, but not every one of you.”11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant[c] is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
As we conclude our Take Heart series, consider this: Can you imagine your life if Jesus had never shown up? How often do you stop and reflect on the countless moments He has been faithful, serving you, sustaining you, and ultimately giving His all for you?
In light of His faithfulness, we are called to live in the way He modeled for us. In John 13:1–17, we see the very heart of Christ’s ministry. Just before going to the cross, He reveals what kind of Master and Teacher He is as He humbles Himself to serve His disciples, even those who would deny and betray Him.
Christ calls us to the same posture: to humble ourselves in service, not only to friends but even to enemies. He calls us to holiness, and when humility leads to holiness, true happiness follows.
My prayer for you this Sunday is that you will grow deeper in your understanding of Christ’s love, the love that moved Him to lay everything down so that you might truly live.
May the Lord bless you,
Pastor Blake
“We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” - Acts 14:22
What is it about the good news of the Gospel that threatens some people to the point where they break out in violence? And why is this a common response in the book of Acts and in our world? As we will see in our time together this week, while some people believe in Jesus, others decide to pick up stones to try to kill Stephen, Paul, Barnabas, and their companions.
Yet what we believe is that violence does not have the last word – life does! Not only is Paul raised back up again, but he goes right back into the city! And the message of the Gospel is that the violence of the cross doesn’t get the last word either! Jesus’ resurrection and ascension assure those of us who are in Christ that we have victory over sin and death.
But still...Why such strong reactions?
I believe the good news Jesus presents is a threat to lives, to systems, and to governments. It calls us to repentance, to peace, to grace, to love, and to live according to the truth of Scripture. But for many, that is a threat to our usual way of living – one that is self-centered. And when people feel threatened, they often turn to hatred and violence. What is the result? Those who follow after the things of God often get knocked down and beat up (physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally).
But as we will discover together this week, Christ calls us to something different. We are to be a people of peace and proclaim peace with God through Jesus. And even when we are attacked and feel like we are “down for the count,” God picks us back up again and sends us back in His grace and strength. We may experience hardships, but they are not the end of the story. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” - Acts 4:13
After Pentecost, the apostles’ teaching to the crowds resulted in people coming to faith in Jesus. Then after healing a man and continued preaching and conversions, Peter and John end up spending a night in jail. Now that morning has come, they are brought before the religious rulers and teachers of the law.
These religious leaders thought they were done with Jesus when they managed to get him crucified. Now they want to do what they can to silence Peter and John, so they threaten them. But they also know that a great healing has taken place since everyone who goes to the temple knows the man who was lame...And now he’s healed?! How can this be?
As they interrogate the disciples, Peter preaches with boldness and courage, and he links it all to Jesus. What shocks the rulers is that they know Peter and John as ordinary, unschooled people. They are fishermen. Yet somehow these two men, who are used to the Sea of Galilee, seem equally at home in the Sanhedrin council of rulers. And what do they note? That Peter and John had “been with Jesus.”
As we continue with our sermon series this week on Godly courage, what we will discover is that when we trust in Jesus and are led by his Spirit, God can accomplish great things through us. My prayer is that WEPC will be known as a church that is “with Jesus.” Let’s put that into practice as we gather together in worship this week!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
“Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14
Have you ever asked, “Why me?” when someone asked you to do something, or when something tragic happened to you? Queen Esther may have felt that way when she was taken (more like trafficked) to the palace and subjected to participating in a beauty pageant. She’s then forced to be the trophy wife of a foolish king.
Perhaps she asked it again when her cousin Mordecai suggested that she could use her position to stop the annihilation of her people. From Mordecai’s perspective, he figured that no one else among the Jews had such access to the king. But from her perspective, she could have said, “Why me?” since she knew it could lead to her death. But knowing what she needed to do (and believing that she was in this position for this very moment), she asked all her people to fast for three days and nights, praying for deliverance.
When Esther walked into the king’s throne room, she was wrapped not just in a beautiful robe, but also in the prayers of God’s people. It wasn’t just the king in that room; God was there too. And that gave her the ability to stand even if her life was on the line!
It’s a good reminder for us that God is always with us, preparing places, opportunities, choices, and options ahead of us. We have a God who cares and who is in control of the big (and little) things. That means that we can thank God each morning for His faithfulness to carry us through each day.
As we unpack this beautiful story together this week, I pray that God reminds us of His sovereignty and providence – and in so doing, it gives us the courage to stand. I look forward to seeing you in person or online. (However, if you are regularly attending online and are able-bodied, I would strongly encourage you to gather with your church family face to face.)
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. - 1 Samuel 17:45
Perhaps more than any other story in the Bible, David’s triumph over Goliath is known by people both inside and outside the church. It’s the perfect underdog story with a hero vs. Villain, where a plucky lad with a few smooth stones defeats a giant, armored warrior decked out with heavy weapons. It’s a story filled with contrasts and ironies: tall versus short, arrogance versus humility, strength versus weakness, and glorious victory versus humiliating defeat.
But as much as people like to make it out, this story isn’t mainly about David. Or Goliath. The core conflict is between the false gods of the Philistines and the God of Israel, Yahweh Sabaoth, which means, “the LORD of Hosts” or “the LORD Almighty.”
This name for God is one of the most widely used names in the Old Testament. It occurs nearly 300 times, and comes from the Hebrew word for “that which goes forth” and for “armies” or “hosts.” It is a name that declares God’s reign over heaven and earth, as well as every earthly and spiritual army.
The reason that David had confidence is because he understood that the real conflict belonged to the Lord. He reminded everyone that “The battle is the LORD’s,” and through him, “the LORD of Hosts,” would defeat the mighty Philistine and his gods.
In a hymn that we sometimes sing, we say, “Lord Sabaoth his name, from age to age the same. And he must win the battle.” May our confidence come from God because He goes before us as the God of angel armies!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
One of the most well-known events in the Bible is Daniel in the Lion's Den. It features intrigue, betrayal, courage, and a surprise ending. Daniel inspires us to do the right thing.
When I was in elementary school, I read nearly every biography book in the Monger Elementary School library. I was inspired by the exciting events in people’s lives to imagine what adventures might lie before me.
I remember reading about Davy Crockett and his confident leadership. A quote that stuck with me was, “Always be sure you are right, then go ahead!" He was willing to stand for ‘right’ even if he stood alone.
In Sunday School, we learned James 4:17 – “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” We all knew without doubt that we shouldn’t sin.
Later, I remember hearing that Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "The time is always right to do the right thing.”
The right thing. It seemed to me that the hard part of these quotes was figuring out “the right thing.” But I’ve learned that more often the challenge isn’t knowing the right thing. It’s doing it. Often, what we need is not clarity (we know the answer to what God wants us to do), what we need is courage and conviction to do it.
We can become so afraid of death that we never live, so afraid of failure that we never risk, so afraid of pain that we never discover how strong God is. Many of us are not choosing between life and death; we are choosing between existence and death. We actually never choose to live.
Erwin McManus said, “The tragedy of a life that is never fully lived is not solely the loss of that one life. The tragedy is the endless number of lives that would have been forever changed if we had chosen to live differently.” We need to move past what God will do for us to what God will do through us.
This week, we will see Daniel demonstrate courage and conviction, even when his life was on the line. What can we learn from Daniel that will guide us to be willing to do the right thing? Maybe more importantly, what will Daniel teach us about our God?
Jeff Peck