Our Fiery Furnaces
May 17th 2011 01:14
I was just reminded of the story of Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego and saw something I never did before. (God does that a lot! Lol) You know the story. The three men who refused to worship the king were ordered to bow or be thrown into a hot fire.
It was their faith that saved them. God honors faith. BUT not always the way we want or in the time we want it. They became a testimony for all of us that we will all get thrown into our own furnaces in life. They will be seven times hotter than we think we can survive. We know we cannot humanly get through it, but we walk there anyway because there is little other option. It is IN that trial that we get to SEE God and see his hand in our lives. We can’t show it to anyone else. But they will see it in our lives and in our testimony. We don’t see God in that furnace with these three, but we have their story handed down for centuries. Just as those around us will have ours if we can say, “my god is able to save me from this, but even if he lets me be totally consumed in it, I will not give up!”
Then, dance with Jesus in the midst of it! That is the peace that baffles everyone and makes them think you are a crazy Jesus freak. Rejoice in trials because we know that is what perfects our faith and gives us, almost literally, the superhuman power of the Holy Spirit dancing within us.
Dan 3:14-18, 21-25 NIV - and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?" Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." ... So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, O king." He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
I always loved the line “but even if he doesn’t save us, we won’t bow to you.” That is awesome. They basically said, “we don’t answer to you, dude. We answer to our God only. He will do as He pleases and we won’t question him.” I still love that strength of faith and that dedication. But today, I saw something else. They WERE thrown into the furnace! Duh! God did NOT rescue them. He did not come through for them until they were in the middle of the hottest fire ever. It cooked the soldiers dropping them in. They had to be scared to death. Then He just walked around with them. He didn’t bring them out, didn’t do some big work, no huge sign, just a shadowy figure in there with them who was shiny. Okay, REALLY shiny, but that’s it. The king called the guys out of the furnace and they didn’t even smell like smoke, but I can guarantee you they felt that fire. They knew what their God had saved them from and why. The phrase "felt that fire" is rhetorical not physcial. They knew what they were in for and felt that pressure and pain. They were human. They felt the exact same fear and confusion we do in tough situations, that is why their testimony is so powerful. Not because they were somehow superhumans with superhuman faith powers, but because they were just like us and refused to let their fear take over. They went willingly to what they knew was certain martyrdom. THAT, my friends, is REAL faith.It was their faith that saved them. God honors faith. BUT not always the way we want or in the time we want it. They became a testimony for all of us that we will all get thrown into our own furnaces in life. They will be seven times hotter than we think we can survive. We know we cannot humanly get through it, but we walk there anyway because there is little other option. It is IN that trial that we get to SEE God and see his hand in our lives. We can’t show it to anyone else. But they will see it in our lives and in our testimony. We don’t see God in that furnace with these three, but we have their story handed down for centuries. Just as those around us will have ours if we can say, “my god is able to save me from this, but even if he lets me be totally consumed in it, I will not give up!”
Then, dance with Jesus in the midst of it! That is the peace that baffles everyone and makes them think you are a crazy Jesus freak. Rejoice in trials because we know that is what perfects our faith and gives us, almost literally, the superhuman power of the Holy Spirit dancing within us.
Jam 1:2-4 NIV - Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
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