Expect God to Work in the Lives of People Around You

I find the Lord’s activity in the lives of the Babylonian kings’ when the Israelites were in captivity fascinating. I cannot help but think that it was because of the presence of the people of God that the Lord worked miracles in the lives of these pagan monarchs.

There have been countless pagan rulers who never saw any wonderous works of the Lord. They ruled as tyrants, worshiped their false gods, and never saw anything miraculous until their death, when they were judged and sent to everlasting punishment. But not so the kings who took Israel captive. The mere fact that the people of God were present meant that these kings received special treatment.

What adds to the intriguing nature of the Lord’s activity in these kings’ lives is that the people of God were there because of their sinfulness. God was disciplining the Israelites for their disobedience. Nevertheless, even in this state, they were still the people of God, so the Lord showed himself strong on their behalf.

God gave Nebuchadnezzar dreams that troubled him, and he gave Daniel, alone, the ability to know and interpret the dreams. Later, Nebuchadnezzar’s pride grew so much that God gave him the mental state of an animal for seven years. He also saw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego escape the fiery furnace, and Darius saw Daniel survive the lions’ den.

When Nebuchadnezzar’s son, Belshazzar, threw a party and used the gold cups from the temple of God in his debauchery, and then worshipped false gods as he drank from the vessels, the Lord caused a hand to write on the plaster wall. It said he had been weighed and found wanting and that his Kingdom would be taken from him. Belshazzar was killed that very night.

The Holy Spirit is still active in the lives of his children. Whether he is convicting us of sin, comforting us in our hardship, or bearing witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, all of this activity affects us and those around us. Even when we are under his chastening hand, it affects more than just us. In working in our lives, the Lord impacts the lives of those we encounter, even if they do not know the Lord themselves. Sometimes the work is salvific, and other times it is in judgment.

As children of God, our presence in the lives of others should be anything but neutral, even if for the sole reason that we live by and speak the Word of God. It is wise for the believer to not only pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is doing in their own lives, but they should also pay attention to what the Lord is doing in the lives of people they encounter.

We should expect to see God be active in the lives of people around us because we are God’s children, and our presence means the Holy Spirit is there. God’s activity should be most evident when we gather as a church. We serve a living God, and we should expect a living God to be active. Be encouraged, brothers and sisters, your God is not only with you, but he is also working in your lives. As he does so, he is also impacting the people you meet, and he is doing it because of your presence.

-D. Eaton