Audience Of One

The fear of the LORD leads to life:then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

Proverbs 19:23 (NIV)

When you respect and honor the Lord, when you value his Word above all other opinions, when you trust and obey him even when it puts you out of favor with popular opinion, you are living before what has been called “the audience of one. Before all others you have nothing to gain, nothing to lose, and nothing to fear.” As Max Lucado states it, you are looking for only the “applause of heaven.” Trouble may come, you may suffer externally, but it is well with your soul. Paul said, “In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37, NKJV).

Daniel met an incredible challenge when a law was invoked that made it illegal to pray (see Daniel 6). Daniel had a decision. He could either fear and honor God, or fear and honor man. He chose God. He prayed. He was caught and sentenced to death, then thrown into a pit of hungry lions. This just doesn’t seem right! He was delivered from the lions’ den. And his trust was a testimony of confidence in a God who is with you and sustains you in any dark and dangerous pit.

Charles Gordon wrote, “The more one sees of life, the more one feels, in order to keep from shipwreck, the necessity of steering by the Polar Star, i.e., in a word, leave to God alone, and never pay attention to the favors or smiles of man; if he smiles on you, neither the smile or frown of men can affect you.”

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

What does it look like to fear the Lord as you face daily, seeming ordinary issues of life? Daniel is famous because of his lions’ den event, but most of his life consisted of daily honesty and integrity in the workplace. “Daniel soon proved himself. . . . They couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy” (Daniel 6:3-4). He didn’t steal pencils or check personal e-mail on company time. He was a good example of a good example. Will you be faithful to honor God in the little things? Then when the big challenges come, “you will have nothing to gain, nothing to lose, and nothing to fear.”

One Year Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 4:1–6:11; Romans 7:1-13; Psalm 17:1-15; Proverbs 19:22-23