Friday June 24, 2011
Speaker: Ben Sigman
Theme: Biography - A Life of Integrity
Read: James 1:16-18; Hebrews 13:8
Think: Yesterday we spent some time talking about the meaning of integrity and what it looks like being lived out in our daily life. Today we’ll think about another aspect of integrity and the supreme example of it.
The word integrity has become synonymous with the word moral. But integrity means more than that; it means being complete or undivided. For example, if something gets burned in a fire but maintains its integrity, it remains unchanged. It is still complete. If a diamond goes through a fire, it comes out a diamond and is said to have its integrity intact. God has the highest degree of integrity. Not that He simply holds to a high moral standard but that nothing can change God. Nothing can harm Him and He will not be swayed by any influence. God cannot be altered in His person or His resolve. No matter what, God will be the same. He will remain true to His character.
Pastor Ben shared the account of Daniel. Here was a man who had the most Godlike integrity of any Bible “hero” we could study. He was held as a captive, though he did nothing wrong. He lived in a strange land with an unfamiliar people, living in a very powerful king’s house as part of the elite young men selected to serve in Babylon. Despite serving the Lord and remaining true to his faith, God still allowed troubled times to come. Daniel’s steadfast faith found him facing lions in a lion’s den and a fiery furnace for refusing to bow to an earthly king… and God allowed it. (See Daniel chapters 3 and 6.)
Think about this for a minute. If it was God who allowed Daniel to be put in such troubling situations, what did he owe the Lord? Daniel could have become angry with God and walked away from having a relationship with Him. He certainly would have benefitted in his service of the Babylonian king had he NOT stayed true to God. But he did. Daniel remained faithful to God, and had integrity --- Godlike integrity. His integrity remained intact despite his circumstances, no matter what the possible outcome. He proved that he could not be swayed in his person or his resolve even when confronted with death. No matter what, Daniel stayed the same. Daniel remained integral to his character, his Godlike integrity.
Do: If you find yourself in a place in life where it feels like God isn’t being faithful to you, trust in His integrity… His unchanging, unwavering role as our Father, our Redeemer, our Lord.
Pray: Thank you that You are unchangeable. Thank you that I can trust even in times when I don’t see You at work or hear Your voice in the trials. I know you are true to your promises, that You are the Rock and Redeemer, steady and unwavering. So I wait on You – for your perfect timing and plan to unfold. In Jesus' Name, Amen.