FAMILY IT! -- Wednesday Family Devotion -- "Don't Go with the Flow"

Supplies: Bible; small bowl of water; small things that will be moved by the water (glitter, small beads, tiny paper wads, etc.)

READ

Read through a version of Daniel 3, the story of the three men in the fiery furnace.

THINK 

Take your bowl of water and add the glitter or beads.  Observe what happens.  Depending on what you use, they may slowly sink to the bottom of the bowl, or they may float on top.  While there is some motion right away as the glitter finds a place to land, you will notice that it finds that place and settles quite quickly.  It takes less than a minute for everything to become nice and still.  Now use your finger to stir the water quickly—try to create a mini-whirlpool right there in your bowl.  Observe again.  What’s happening to the glitter?  It’s moving!  It’s getting caught up in the current you created and is following your finger.  Even after you stop stirring (go ahead and pull your finger out), you’ll notice the water continues to spin in the same direction for awhile, along with the glitter.  Currents sure are strong!

There’s another current that pulls on us with incredible power: the “Everybody Else current.”  This is the pull of others on our choices and decisions.  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had to fight a very strong Everybody Else current.  When King Nebuchadnezzar instructed all of Babylon to bow down to the idol he had made, Everybody Else did.  When the music played, Everybody Else stopped what they were doing so they could worship a ninety-foot tall golden statue.  And when Everybody Else noticed that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego weren’t cooperating, Everybody Else tattled to the King, who threatened to roast them like a s’mores marshmallow if they didn’t do what Everybody Else was doing.  Talk about a strong pull!  I can only imagine how difficult it was for these guys.  All of the other leaders were doing exactly what they were told at exactly the right times.  How many times do you think they had to fight off the urge to just do what Everybody Else was doing?  

You have an Everybody Else current in your life, too.  (We all do.)  It’s made up of friends, neighbors, classmates, coworkers, TV—anybody who tries to influence what you do, what choices you make.  The problem is, Everybody Else doesn’t always follow Jesus.  Many times the way Everybody Else is going will lead you away from Jesus.  Take some time and share a current your battling right now, or maybe one that you have to fight a lot.  What makes this current so strong for you?  Have you ever gotten caught in it?  What was the result?

APPLY

Even though the Everybody Else current was strong, Shadrach, Meshacbh and Abednego refused to follow along.  They knew they wanted to be committed followers of God.  That commitment to the Father helped them resist the pull of the EEC.  And in the end, what looked like a tragic ending became an angel dance party!

What about you?  When you make a commitment to follow God, you will find you have an anchor that will help hold you in place when Everybody Else is trying to spin you into oblivion.  In addition, your family can serve as a countercurrent, pulling you back to Jesus if ever you start to drift.  Every time you stand strong, you get to be a part of your own angel dance party.  How awesome is that!  Join together to commit your family members and your family unit to follow God’s lead.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

PRAY

Heavenly Father, You have set a path for us.  You have a unique direction for each member of our family, and for our family as a whole.  But each of us is being pulled in different directions, away from You.  Today, Lord, we commit to follow Your path.  Give us the strength of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, the strength to stand up for You against a powerful pull.  Thank you for being with us, even in the middle of a blaze of controversy.  While everyone else is spinning and going nowhere, we want to dance with You, Jesus!  Amen.

REPLY

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