There's an old movie titled "
Not Without My Daughter." It stars Sally Field, who marries a Middle Eastern man and moves overseas. After some time, she realizes that she does not wan tto lead the life that is being pushed on her. Sally Field decides to escape from her husband. He finds out and things get ugly. At one point, some peopel try to help summgle her out of the country, but she says she is not leaving without her daughter. The movie has a slow build up, but in the end, after a very long journey to saftey, she hears the flapping of the American flag at the embassy and she begins crying. She is free. And she has her daughterin her arms. Nothing was going to stop her from taking her child to safety and freedom.
God did it first. He wanted to nake a way for us to get back into an intimate relationship with Him. He did whatever it took to get us back. No matter what, He wanted a face to face relationship with us. He gave His only Son. Turned His back on Him at the cross. And brought Him back to life on the third day.
Now what about us on the other side of the relationship? Are we willing to say "No matter what" we will serve Him, love Him, live for Him? Do we have a "no matter what" attitude? Are we filled with determination that nothing can stand in our way?
When I think about the "no matter what" attitude... two things come to mind: first, what Job said "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him." Secondly, the account of a trio of teenagers that stoo up to a king.
In
Daniel chapter 3, we see three young adults who took a stand. They decided to live right. When the king decreed that everyone would worship a statue of himself, they determined in their hearts that they would not do such a thing no matter what the consequences. The consequence was being thrown into a furnance so hot it turned one of the kingsmen to ashes.
The trio still heldfast to the notion that it is better to do right no matter what.
Their "no matter what" attitude is epitomized in Daniel 3.18. After the king gives them one more chance to bow before his statue, the young'uns say that God will save them
"but if He doesn't, it wouldn't make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn't serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up."That's determination. That's guts. That's a "no matter what" attitude. We need to get this attitude in us if we want a face to face relationship with God. The attitude that says, no matter what happens, I will live for God!
