Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man was standing in front him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us, or for our enemies?” “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come,,,”

(Jos 5.13&14)

Nebuchadnezzar.. said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?…. If you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter, If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

(Dan 3.14-18)

“I pray for them. I am not praying for the world. but for those you have given me, for they are yours….I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one… Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

(Jn 14.9,14&15,17)

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer..

(Rom 12.2&12)

Do I trust God when things are not working out as I want them to? Whether on a personal scale, within my wider community or globally… Is God only worthy of my praise and loyalty when his ways make sense to me? Am I getting swept along in the tides and trends of social media and culture wars, so that my beliefs and attitudes are not being shaped by the truth anymore? Do I really believe that God can keep me in peace and hope through all the turmoil which is human life, or am I putting conditions on my trust?

The story of God’s dealings with humankind as revealed in the scriptures is of mess, muddle, failure and grief – God works through these things, bringing light out of darkness and always steadily fulfilling his purposes. The coming of Jesus, the revolutionary King who defeated death and inaugurated God’s kingdom in the face of all that evil could do, has not changed the context within which the story continues.

God has never aligned his kingdom with any human institution, no matter what that power may have claimed for itself. Joshua’s encounter with the commander of the Lord’s army showed how we ought to think at all times as God’s people – “Where is God working, how may I align myself with his purposes?” Jesus prayer for his followers was that they would be guarded by the Spirit as they remained in this broken world, kept apart by that divine shield to be witnesses to the light. If we let ourselves be enticed into expecting that human institutions will bring about peace, justice, freedom (all the things God’s kingdom promises), then we are without hope, and have nothing to offer our world Both sides of every argument always need to hear that third voice – God’s summons to humanity to recognise and worship him. Jesus confronted the religious and political establishments of his day, but also challenged those who were oppressed and rebellious – the kingdom is always counter-cultural. Followers of Jesus, those who are deeply rooted in God’s word, should be able to resist the pressures of society to conform to the latest trends and opinions. Truth is our anchor, the truth of God’s nature, his saving power and his coming kingdom.

The experience of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego reminds us that resisting human power can be costly, but also shows us what our attitude should be when faced with reprisal or threats… If God chooses to deliver us, well and good. If for whatever reason he does not, then he is still our God, entirely worthy of our praise and devotion. Paul’s words to his friends in Rome speak directly into our situation in these days of challenge, upheaval and uncertainty – and it is only as those securely anchored in Christ that we can put these words into practice in our lives.

Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding me that I cannot put my hope in human institutions, but must rest solely on you. Thank you that when I do so, I am set free from worrying about what is happening in the world, and can come confidently  to you in prayer because You are able to bring light into the darkness. Thank you that your people around the world can offer your love and light; help us to stand apart from the tides of opinion and to be joyful as we hope in you. Help us to be present in your beautiful broken world, loving generously, and showing by our steadiness that we have an unshakeable foundation, our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.