Jump Start # 3130
Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows opened toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.”
Recently I was passing through London’s Heathrow airport. It’s big and crowded. On the people movers, as I call them, the conveyor walkways that you stand on and moves you down the road, I saw a sign hanging above it. It was one of those signs that preachers say, “that’ll preach.” The sign said, “Face the direction you are going.” The idea is that if you are on one of the people movers, but are facing the opposite way, possibly engaged in a conversation, you might run into the back of someone or worse, as the people mover comes to an end, you might fall down. Face forward. Face the direction you are going. That’s it. That’s what we need to be doing.
People want to go to Heaven, but they are not facing that direction. They are looking back at the world. They are looking at all their friends. They are looking at all the things that move and shake this planet. Face the direction that you are going!
Our passage today is what got Daniel into the lion’s den. He was praying. More than that he was praying towards Jerusalem. He was facing the direction he was going. He prayed knowing the king outlawed praying. He prayed knowing that praying could get him in trouble. Now, Daniel could have shut the window and likely no one would have seen him. Daniel could have said a silent prayer and no one would have heard him. Daniel could have prayed in bed and been safe. But he had been praying in the window toward Jerusalem and law or no law, he was still praying. He faced the direction he was going.
The sluggish and drifting Hebrew brethren were told to fix their eyes upon Jesus. Face the direction you are going. They were told about the faith of their forefathers who left a country and sought a heavenly country. They did not think about where they left. They desired a better country, a heavenly one. They faced the direction that they were going.
Now, some lessons for us:
First, when we face the wrong direction, we become influenced by those going the wrong direction. Worry, fear, doubt fill the lives of those who are looking in the wrong direction. Recession. Covid. Russia. Rising gas prices. Empty shelves. Someone said to me, “Have we ever seen such hard times?” My thought was, “Face the direction you are going.” Maybe we haven’t. Maybe things will get worse. But God has been through wars, famines, changes in kingdoms, conflicts, storms and troubles. We can face those who don’t know what to do, or we can turn and face the God who has seen all these things. Lion’s dens, prison walls, massive fortified cities, seas and storms and our Bibles are filled with God delivering His people. Are you facing the direction you are going?
Second, when we face the right direction, we find hope, assurance and confidence. The history of football tells the stories of fumbles being picked up and the player running the wrong direction. His own team chases him and tries to stop him. He happily runs into the end zone only to discover that he has run the wrong direction. Face the direction you are going fills our hearts with blessed assurance. We know that we are doing the Lord’s will. We walk by faith. We stand upon the promises of God as we journey in the right direction.
Third, facing the direction that we are going is a purposed choice that is built upon faith. The crowd may be headed the other direction. We don’t follow the crowd. We follow the Lord. We face the direction that we are going. This is our choice. This is what we want. We want Heaven and so we face that direction. Facing the right direction involves worshipping the Lord. It involves being engaged in good deeds. It involves developing a heart of compassion, kindness and forgiveness. The world looks into a mirror. The world is more interested in feelings than facts. The world is more focused upon what it wants than what the Lord wants. But that’s the world. It’s moving the other direction. It’s becoming more and more secular and atheistic. It closes it’s eyes to the reality and evidence of God. It ignores the word of the Lord.
Fourth, facing the direction we are going makes the things of the world grow dim in our eyes. Success. Top of the ladder. The best. Houses. Boats. Vacations. Plaques. Trophies. Awards. Name brands. All those things tend to lose their value and luster as we face the direction we are going. We are Heaven Bound! What matters is character, heart, faith and trust in the Lord. Who kisses who in Hollywood doesn’t impress us. Facing the direction we are going makes all the difference.
A simple sign in a busy airport. I needed that reminder.
Face the direction that you are going!
Roger