Who Are YOU Bowing To

I hadn't realized that I haven't visited this (my) blog for more than four months. There are times in our lives when we encounter so much difficulty and so often, that the mounting pressure of it all begins to bend us.

Whether those pressures mount from our inability to shrug them off, or the person or thing that acts as the catalyst that continues as such, we bend at the hand of oppression. Oppression that bewilders, disengages, distracts, nullifies, and even destroys.

Although the Septemebr 23 post was finalized and posted with today's post, it was actually started in September. Which opens this discussion on: Who Are You Bowing To?

There are forces in our lives that cause us to bend from the pressures they bring. Whether we experience that pressure from direct sources such as: governments, principalities, peers, family, co-workers, employers, ministers, or children. Or indirectly from sources as our: Jobs, salaries, depression, overeating, not eating enough, binges, excessive spending, restlessness, sleeplessness, frustration, fatigue, grief, scrutiny, complaining, wariness, and so forth.

Shadrach and his cohorts were under scrutiny to perform and align themselves with the missive of government. A government that forbade them to worship and believe as they were acculturated as Hebrews. Pressure suggested more than not to do as everyone else; bow or die. You can believe some of their friends and even family members that were in bondage with them DID bow. We just never hear of those. We can assume this to be true because the mandate was given to all.

Yet, you have these three who refused. What made them different? Moreso, what gave them the confidence to even tell the king that we won't even answer your question as to who's authority we stand under to refuse your decree? Do as you will but be it known that our God can if He chooses....

Bowing. Bowing means I give up something within myself in order to perform this gesture. It is first an inward response to give in or give up to something I feel that is bigger than I. An outward acknowledgement that I have reasoned within myself and agreed that whatever or whoever this god is, its bigger than I.

I often wander what would have happened to African Americans, indigenous peoples of great lands here and abroad, Jews, women, and so many others if they had bowed to the prejudices and injustices suffered? What state would we continue to be in if those subjugated to such atrocities had bowed spiritually?

I began this discussion with a statement of me personally being inactive on this site and any others for that matter. Crushed with grief and despair left me with a feeling of disconnectedness leaving no room for creativity, imagination, momentum, and certainly no spiritual prowess to develop content for this blog.

One thing that can be said about commitment is that no matter how disconnected you feel for a project or situation, your commitment to complete a task will continue to invade your subsconcious until you act.

It took a good long time to see how I had bowed to grief and loss and how I had to make a conscious effort to do something about it. I sought the Lord, just as the Three had, I had to face the enemy. Win, lose or draw, something had to change. Something had to happen.

It did. God reigned supreme. He reigned above grief, despair, loneliness, loss, discouragement, discontentedness, and just pain ol sorrowfulness...Restoring me to even greater commitment to Him and the duties he has bestowed upon me.

And so is life: God will always stand supreme over any that comes to break your spirit; crushing you only to leave you crippled and stagnant.

In the face of so many oppressors, we stand firm in the knowledge of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ that no matter how 'hot' the flame, he's there with us and IN us.