In His hands!

I just read "The Word for Today" and it was AWESOME!! It spoke about standing up and taking risks. Here's a section of the reading:

For something to be an authentic test of character, it must be a situation in which the outcome is entirely out of your hands. You simply make the choice to do what's right before God, then leave the consequences in His hands. It's a trial by fire (a fire of refinement), and on the other side of it you'll have a stronger character.
Each time you make the right decision, choosing to accept rather than escape the consequences, you're:
(1) free from threats of those who claim to have control over your life
(2) free to say 'NO' to those who'd abuse their authority by attempting to manipulate you
(3) free to serve your all-powerful King and say 'NO' to the other would-be kings!

WOW! How cool is that?! Just last weekend I was having a conversation with some friends about what we would do if someone held a gun to our head and asked us to renounce our faith. It was a hot discussion and there were lots of thoughts and ideas going back and forwards. Lots to think about and discuss. I came to the conclusion a long time ago that my life is in God's hands so if He wants to rescue me in that moment, I know He will! As for me, I would like to think that I would stand strong and proud on the promise of eternal life with my Saviour whether I died in that moment or lived...so I would proudly proclaim my faith in Jesus and know that if I was killed in the flesh, I'd be in paradise for eternity.

I think about the legacy that Rachel left behind when she proclaimed her faith in the Columbine shootings. She said yes and now millions of people around the world know her story and lives are being impacted and changed. Although it was horrific, the purpose God bought out of her death is a lasting one and it's so huge it's unimaginable! Just this week I spoke to a friend who told me that a previous student of hers had died in this last week in a freak accident where a horse kicked her in the chest and killed her - at 20yrs of age!! I'm 25yrs old and I don't often stop to think that I might die anytime soon - and I pray that God will leave me here a bit longer - but what if?! What if I got hit by a car, kicked by a horse, drowned in a storm, had some bizzare medical issue that doctors couldn't treat? What if I died tomorrow? Well, I am sure without a doubt that I will go to heaven - that's the promise I have as a child of God because I've given Him control of my life! I'm sure of that today! But what if tomorrow I spend a little less time on my relationship with Jesus and spend fewer conversations with people sharing how God's working in my life? And then less the next day and less the next? I don't want to get to Heaven and have Jesus say "I never knew you!"

We spend so much of our lives concerned with what others think of us and we give them control over our life and over what we say, what we believe, what we stand for! Yet, for many of us, at the same time, we claim that GOD is in control of our lives! Is He really? Is He really in control? Or are we in control? Are our peers and the rest of the world in control? What is it that drives you and I? Is it fear or hesitation because of what others will think? Is it that we're afraid that to follow Jesus it may mean some kind of sacrifice of something big or small - a relationship, a habit, etc?

You know, I can think of a million and one things that could've stopped Jesus going to that cross! I mean, He lived on earth for roughly 33 short years and in that time He saw some crap! He was mistreated, humiliated, spat at, laughed at, people called him a fake and a liar, people hated him! There were plenty of reasons to stop Him! He could have thrown up his hands and said "Look at the mess you've created!! You're on your own now!" But He didn't!! He endured the abuse, the torture, the pain of the cross and of death itself so that you and I could escape that punishment and live a free life! And then he rose again and gave us the promise that one day we would live with him for eternity! None of us have endured what He endured!! NONE of us! And what does He want in return? YOU! ME! He wants us to give Him the reigns! What does He hope will happen? He hopes (and knows) that if we just let Him stay in control then He will stand WITH us as we stand FOR Him!

The way I see it, it's a privillege to stand for Jesus and be laughed at and mocked - because Jesus experienced that for my sake so I am proud to stand and experience that for His sake! If I'm abused, tortured, killed for my faith...so be it! My life is not in the hands of another person and not even in my own hands! My life is, and will forever be, in the hands of my Saviour!