The Best of the Portals of Prayer

Read: Daniel 6

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.”
Acts 5:29

Thy Will Be Done

The lines in this instance were sharply drawn. Jesus had commanded the apostles to preach the Gospel to every creature. The high priest forbade them to do so. The apostles were thus confronted with an inevitable choice between the two. They obeyed Jesus. In a free country, authorities do not have the power to make such demands on us. But life situations develop in which we also must decide between God’s will and that of man. Young people in high school and college may have to choose between what textbooks and instructors teach as scientific fact, and what the Word of God reveals on the same subjects. Employees may be asked to practice dishonesty, such as misrepresenting goods or making unnecessary repairs, to increase the profits of the employer. Professional people at times have to choose between what is right and what is wrong. In our social life, we face the choice between popular sinful pleasures and the will of God. Obeying God rather than men in these instances calls for a heroic faith. We may suffer ridicule, financial loss, or isolation. And yet, even when our best intentions fail, we have a Savior who died for our sins. And by His gracious mercy, we will not suffer the punishment for our sins, because that punishment has already been borne for us by Jesus.

January 10, 1958