But if not...

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."
Daniel 3:16 - 18

The concept of "life verse", the picking of a single Bible verse as the spiritual touchstone of your life, has never been one that appealed to me. Still, if I had to chose a single verse or passage that embodies the spiritual principle I'd most like to reflect in my life, it would be the above.

Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (their Hebrew names) faced a difficult decision: bow down in worship to a golden idol, denying their God, or be thrown into a raging fire, dying in agony.

Yet this trio didn't see it as a choice; they would not, could not deny their God. When their refusal was brought to Nebuchadnezzar's attention, the king personally confronted them with the choice, offering them a second chance to to worship the golden image, saving themselves from death. These verses are their response to the king.

Believing the sovereignty of God is easy when life's highway can be run on cruise control, with pleasant scenery, no detours and no unexpected accidents. But when the tires all go flat, the road is full of potholes and the road signs make no sense, do you still believe it?

What I love about our fire-walking triad is their complete abandonment to God's purposes. With all their heart, soul and mind they believed God could rescue them from the furnace, but they realized that God might chose not to do so - and they fully embraced that possibility as well. Their lives were not their own, but God's, to do with as He pleased, for His honor and glory.

My own willingness to let God do with my life as He pleases has been tested this week with the need to walk away from a condo that was perfect - not only for my own needs, but as a place to be used in ministry. I called the seller's agent Monday, to tell him we were done.

Giving up your own desires to follow God's is never easy, but He faithfully rewards obedience. Most of the time, I expect that reward to come when I'm standing before Him, but every so often, He gives it in this life.

The sellers lowered the price on the condo, negating the effect of the low appraisal. The place was a bargain before; now, it is a steal. The unit is gorgeous, huge, and unique, but got caught out in one of the strangest market periods in years.

You can attribute this to economic factors all you want - as for me, I see this as God's timing, His plan, His place. May it be used for His glory.