When God says no...

I posted this a week or so ago on my Facebook page. It was the first I had heard of this blog, but it resonated so strongly in my heart. Have you read it? Here are a few excerpts from their post, then please go read it. It will do your soul good!

What if God says no?

For anyone who has read or heard of our story, you know of our bold prayers to the Lord asking for healing and health over Alisa. We had an idea from sonograms of potential health problems she might have once born, including a hole in her heart and possible digestive issues. Since she hadn't received a prenatal diagnosis of Down Syndrome, but only screened positive, we also begged God that she might be born not just healthy, but without Down Syndrome at all. We loved Alisa no matter what, but as her parents, we longed for her to born with little or no health challenges as her young life began.

And so, that morning I wrestled with the question that tumbled endlessly in my spirit as I considered our many prayers over Alisa's life: What if God says no?

I found myself in Daniel 3, reading a story most could recite from memory. Three young men, followers of the One True God, found themselves as captives in a pagan culture. Their captors, the Babylonians, were ruled by King Nebuchadnezzar, a man so terrifying and powerful that he was worshiped as god by his people. This king, arrogant as he was, created a golden image of himself and set it before his people. No doubt this statue was beautiful, large, and intimidating. No doubt it loomed over the people of the land, domineering and horrifying. The king then issued a decree that whenever the music played, every person was to bow down in worship to this image, his image. To refuse to worship meant immediate death by being burned alive in a fiery furnace.

Most of us remember what happened next. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship anyone but the Lord their God, so they did not bow down to the king's image. When this news reached the the king, it took him to a place of "furious rage." He called for the three men to be brought before him, and he questioned them on their defiance. “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?" he challenged (Dan. 3:14). He decided to give them one more chance to bow to his image, instructing the music to be played as he watched to see what the men would choose. But before he did so, King Nebuchadnezzar gave this warning and challenge: "But 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?” (Dan. 3:15).

As I read on that morning, the response of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego struck a cord in my heart. Whatever internal wrestling they might have faced, these three men spoke aloud the firm decision of faith determined in their hearts: "King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and He will deliver us from Your Majesty's hand" (Dan. 3:17). 

They did not stop there in their response to Nebuchadnezzar, though, for they knew that even though their God was able to deliver them and save their lives, He might also not deliver them. "The God we serve is able to deliver us" they said. Their belief in the power of God was resolute, yet they continued, "But even if He does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." 

But even if He does not...

If God says no...

A couple of my thoughts:
I have prayed so long for God to allow EK's voice to return, for her to make some significant progress and so far, God has said no.
That does not mean that God has not heard my prayers, it doesn't mean that I don't have enough faith in His ability to heal her (as the prosperity gospel would have you believe), it just means that God is choosing to use my circumstances to bring Himself glory and to sanctify me through it. How I wish He would heal her! He created her, He knows everything about my sweet EK (far more than I do). He loves her! And for now, He's allowing the autism diagnosis to stay and her to remain non-verbal. Sometimes it seems unkind from my human standpoint, but I choose to trust that God is in control, He is able and I resolve to serve Him.

This post also resonated with me because I am slowly working through the book of Daniel on my own. What a GREAT book to study and learn more about God and the lives of some young men who resolved to serve the living God. 

Now, go read the entire post. When God Says No