An Excellent Spirit For Challenging Days
by Pat O’Reilly
Recently while listening to the news I was amazed at how many Government leaders were being torn apart by the media for their lifestyles and that jokes and e-mails were being sent around the world about these people and their behaviour. This was also happening amongst us as God’s children. Immediately the Holy Spirit reminded me of the life of Daniel.
Daniel found himself as an exile in a strange land in the palace of a heathen king, yet he served the King with honour, respect and excellence not because of what the king did or didn’t do, but because of who he was – the king. Daniel understood that those who are in authority have been placed there by God for a reason, and a season. Because Daniel had an excellent spirit, in the way that he honoured the king, God’s favour was on him. Not only did he become the king’s chief advisor but his life made such an impact on the king that the king declared “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, extol and honour the King of Heaven.”
This has had a huge impact on my life, my outlook on the political situation in our country, and the way in which I talk about those in authority, especially in front of my children and friends.
Maybe you find yourself in a country or in a job situation where God is not being honoured and it’s really tough. I would encourage you to keep on honouring those in authority and do your work with excellence. In this way You will be a representative of the Kingdom of God and you’ll begin to experience God’s favour on your life.
Prayer: Lord please forgive me if I have been weighed in the balance and found wanting in this area of my life. I pray that when I hear rumours about my leaders I will pray and intercede for them, instead of mocking them, judging or joking about them. I pray that instead I will honour and respect those in authority, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Pat O’Reilly has been married to Lindsay for 36 years and has 5 children and 5 grandchildren. He worked as a mechanical engineer for Denel Aerospace for 29 years, after which he retired. In 2009 he and Lindsay attended the Flagship Programme at Ellel Grange in the UK, and this revolutionized his life. They are both on the associate team at Shere House, South Africa.
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