Verses: Bel and the Dragon 1 : 23 - 30
My thoughts about the
verses:
Have you ever been hurt
by someone that you really trusted? Had
your life turned upside down because you feel that you have lost a special bond
because of distrust? We all have
probably walked in this situation. We
have someone that we consider our dearest friend who has stabbed us in our
back. Our life is turned upside down
because we worry who we can trust now.
I can only imagine the
situation the King was going through. He
actually liked Daniel and considered him a confidant. He was still dealing with the fact that Daniel
had uncovered the foul play that the priest was doing. Now he is standing there and just witnessed Daniel
destroy the Dragon that the Babylonians held with high respect.
Now he is standing there
and the people are saying that he has become Jewish. He is being threatened because of what they
believe. He is afraid that they will overthrow
his kingdom. He is afraid that they will
kill him because of his current actions.
He feels that he has to give in to them or he will lose all that he has.
I really think that this applies to a lot of
people in the LGBTIQA community. They
are trapped in a closet because of their truth is known they may face harsh
circumstances. I see so many people that
have had their lives changed once they decide to open the door. Many people in the community have lost their
close friends even family members because they have shared their identity.
It is crazy to think
that friends and family members turn their backs on people when they are in
their time of greatest need. When you
first come out of the closet there is this sense of needing people to
understand you. Yet, all so often those
that you thought would be on your side through thick and thin let you down. They feel as if they can’t condone a behavior
so they say things that are hurtful.
The hardest thing for me
was losing my connection with the Church.
I had so many friends that were part of that community. My life was so dedicated to Christ at that
time that it hurt deeply to be shunned.
I felt as if they had stabbed me in the back. I really was hurt to the point that I thought
why live. How could I continue on with
my life if I had lost God?
This fear that you have
lost God is in the minds of many that step out of the closet door. It doesn’t matter what they want to share
there is this deep fear that the Almighty will shun you. When the church tells you that what you are
doing is a deadly sin. Then you wonder
if God will forgive you for who you are inside.
It took me a long time to accept that God created me in the perfect
image of the Creator. Since I was
created in the image of the Creator I had nothing in my life that was different
from God.
At the same time I am
one of the lucky ones. I was able to
find a place where I felt safe and connected with God. This helps me finish taking that last step
out of the closet of fear that I had lived in for so long. It didn’t matter at that point what others
thought instead it only mattered that God loved me for Who I was. I pray that people who are coming out of
their closets of fear will find that same place and hope.
I will share that the
people that stabbed me in the back truly hurt me. Yet, I will also tell you that those that
stood up for me and accepted me for the beautiful part of creation that I am
healed me from the pain. We need to be
there for others that have that knife driven into their back. We need to be friends to those that feel lost
and hurt in this world. We must accept
that we can be Jesus to someone today. When
we stand up for the lost and hurting we are living a true Christian life.
For those of us who have
hurt our friends, family and Brothers/Sisters in Christ we need to ask
ourselves these questions? Are you
willing to accept the hurt and pain that you inflicted on someone? How do you feel today that you may have
pushed someone away from Christ forever?
We need to accept that our actions can destroy the hearts and souls of
others. The first step in bringing
healing to those that you have hurt is to ask for their forgiveness.
I will share that those
that have done that in my life have helped me overcome my losses. I am a better person because what I have went
through. Yet, I wish that I didn’t have
to go through this because of the actions of people that I truly loved and
admired. I want others to know no matter
what anyone has told you God Loves you.
You can find a place of shelter in the arms of our Blessed Savior.
Prayer:
We thank you God for
loving us for who we are. We praise you
for never turning your back on us. Help
us accept that you are there even we people hurt us. Help us accept that love that you so freely
give to us. In the name of the Savior we
pray. Amen
Questions:
Have you ever hurt someone by your words or actions? Have you ever been hurt by someone that you
love? Are you willing to accept God’s
love and forgiveness? Are you ready to
walk in the love of God?
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