Daniel #32 Is God Able?

The most fundamental question we face when we call out to the Lord in the time of trouble, affliction, or sorrow is this: Is God able to deliver us? That is quite different from asking: HOW will He answer my prayer? Or WHEN will He deliver me? We may not know HOW or WHEN our great and glorious Savior will deliver us, but we cannot even ask the HOW or WHEN questions until we first answer this question: Is God able to deliver us? Is He able to save me and my children? Is He able to heal me or a loved one? Is He able to restore a relationship? Is He able to provide for all my needs? Is God able (Matthew 9:27-28)? Faith lays hold of God's infinite ability to do all His holy will, not HOW and WHEN He will do so.

If God is not able, then Scripture is filled with lies and our faith in Christ is in vain. We are utterly hopeless. But if God is able (and He is), then we have a firm hope in this life (whatever we may face) and a certain hope in the life to come that He is able to keep all His promises to us by His faithfulness and almighty power. It was in God's infinite power that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego placed their faith—not in HOW or WHEN He would save them (Daniel 3:17).

As King Darius approached the lions' den into which Daniel had been cast, this was the question he asked Daniel (Daniel 6:20). Who is the God in whom you believe? Is He the God of the Bible, who is infinite in power? Or is he a god of your own imagination, limited in power by man's will? Only the Almighty God can save us and provide all that we need. Is He the object of your faith today, right now? If He is, grow in trusting Him. If not, God grant you faith in Him.