Works, Walking and Worthiness

How many small and seemingly insignificant decisions do you make every day?  How important do they seem?  As a person living with Parkinson's Disease, I am confronted with many choices in my day, just like everyone else, but the choices I am given will be different than another person's choices.  It may be a decision to not complain for the day, even though there may be alot to complain about.  Or it could be something like putting someone else's need in front of mine......all day.

There are some choices that seem more important than others, yet along with it, comes a temptation.  My heart knows the right thing to do, but from somewhere comes the idea that just this once, I could cut corners and take the easy way and no one would know....  There are also those choices where I could take the easier route, and no one would blame me.  God would understand....

I submit that every choice we are given is an opportunity to live for Christ AND make Him known.  The world, and even our families, watch us - observing our reactions, asking us questions, noticing if our words stand true in light of our actions.  Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." - "that we should walk in them"....  Think about this for a minute.

As a peculiar people - one who is a member of the elite group of people with PD - God has prepared special work for me, that the world may see Jesus in my daily life through the decisions I make.  We may or may not be able to walk across a room, but we can certainly "walk" in the good works that God prepared beforehand for each one of us!

I am thinking of the story of Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego.... (Daniel 3:12-30)  In a large assembly of people, they were told to bow down and worship the statue of the king - Nebuchadnezer.  Everyone else did, but they did not. They could have chosen to bow like everyone else, and blend with the large group of people (who would blame them?), but this day they chose to walk in the works that God chose for them beforehand (which was to walk in the fire).

When they were noticed standing instead of bowing, they were brought before the king.  They told the king that their God could save them from him, but even if He did not, they would not to bow before the statue.  Enraged at their choice to not bow, he had them thrown into the fiery furnace.  In amazement, the king declared that he saw FOUR people walking around in the fire - not just THREE. The fourth person was God who would not leave them to face the fire alone.   As a result, the king called them  to come out of the fire (they were unhurt without even the smell of smoke on them).  The king then blessed God and glorified Him.

This is the point of the works God has prepared for you to walk in.  You have the unique opportunity to walk through the fire of Parkinson's Disease to the glory of God, but never by yourself. The choice is yours - to walk in a manner worthy of the calling of God - with Him leading the way, or bow down to your idol (pride, untruth, fear of death, selfishness, failure to love those around you, etc.).  Where will you walk today?