If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.[d] 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up. Daniel 3:17-18
When reading the story of Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego, who were thrown into the fiery furnace in Daniel 3:18, we all marvel at this wonderful story and the awesome outcome. But, I would like to focus on what they said at the beginning when talking to King Nebuchadnezzar. The part when they essentially said, our God has the ability to rescue us from this fiery furnace. However, if He does not, we will not bow down to the image you set up. In making this declaration, they were essentially saying no matter what happens to us, we will trust and obey God.
Going back to the title of today’s thought, can we say with confidence, that we truly trust Him? Can we be like the three Hebrew boys (as they are often referred to) and declare that even if it costs us our life, we will obey and trust God? I believe we all have struggled from time to time with our faith and trust in God when it is truly being tested.
As I write this, there have been recent deaths in my church of individuals who were very much loved. However, it is not only our church that has experienced loss and grief. There are countless other families, church families, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and many others, who are dealing with the pain of loss and grief.
And when we speak of loss, it is not only referring to the loss of life. There can also be loss due to fractured relationships, financial instability, health, mental/emotional crisis, and the list can go on and on. The question for all of us remains, will we still trust God no matter what?
In the story above when Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego were about to be thrown into the fiery furnace, they did not know the future. However, they held fast and trusted God and His plans, no matter what happened to them. In order for them to have that level of faith and trust in God, they had to have developed a consistent prayer life and study of His teachings. By spending time with God, they developed the strength to hold onto their beliefs and convictions, allowing God’s ultimate plan to unfold in their lives.
We all need to remember Earth is not our final home. There will be happy times as we live out our lives and there will also be devastating situations from time to time. We need to continually seek and maintain a strong spiritual connection with God so that when our trials come, we will be able to stand firm and trust God. We must remember when those trials do come, they are there to help build up and strengthen our faith. Just like soldiers training in the military, they must go through various tests and difficulties, to strengthen their resolve and build up their bodies. Therefore, when we face difficulties, we will get upset and possibly cry out but ultimately, we will withstand and move forward in God’s name.
Trust and believe God knows the hurt and pain we all feel and, He shares in that pain as well. The sin and disobedience that is prevalent here on Earth, is responsible for all the evil, sickness, and destruction that we go through. God never intended any of His children to suffer. However be encouraged, eventually, when He returns, loss, pain, and suffering will all be over.
In the meantime, I pray for us all to develop and/or continue our relationship with Him. And when the time comes, we can have a strong, unwavering trust in God for our lives, and for the lives of those around us.
Blessings,
Angélique
To contact: Angelique@21stcenturygodlyliving.com
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