And the solution is... By Gary Rose

This cute cartoon caused me to think of serious real life problems. What do we do when we are faced with something serious? Do we study it (like the dog on the left), or give up (like the dog on the floor) or look to see what others are doing about it (the anxious dog on the right)?

Right about now, you are probably thinking- well, its just a cartoon, so what?

Well, we all face real problems in this world; there is just no way of avoiding all of them. So, what do we do when confronted with something serious?

And then I thought of a chapter in the book of Acts...

Acts 21 (World English Bible)

 ⁷  When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais. We greeted the brothers, and stayed with them one day.  ⁸ On the next day, we, who were Paul’s companions, departed, and came to Caesarea. 

We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.  ⁹ Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.  ¹⁰ As we stayed there some days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.  ¹¹ Coming to us, and taking Paul’s belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit: ‘So will the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” 

  ¹²  When we heard these things, both we and they of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem.  ¹³ Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 

  ¹⁴  When he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The Lord’s will be done.” (emphasis added)

The Christians with Paul at first tried to avoid the situation by begging him not to go up to Jerusalem. When that failed, they submitted to the will of God with the statement: “The Lord’s will be done.”

Paul’s attitude was great and he was willing to go, but it took awhile for those with him to realize that God had a plan for Paul.

Here is another problem and an even more serious situation...

Daniel 6 (World English Bible)

 ¹ It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;  ² and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give account to them, and that the king should have no damage.  ³ Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.  ⁴ Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault, because he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.  ⁵ Then these men said, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.  ⁶ Then these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and said thus to him, King Darius, live forever.  ⁷ All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong decree, that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. ⁸ Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which doesn’t alter.  ⁹ Therefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.  ¹⁰ When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his room toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled on his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before. (emphasis added)

When faced with death, Daniel simply prayed. Later in the book, God delivered him from death.

Point is: Will we rely on God when faced with something serious?

By the way…

to the dog who is studying the situation:

Close that door!