With us Always

"He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated.  And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace...  Did we cast three men bound into the fire?...  But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods."

Daniel 3: 19-20, 24-25

 

The above story is a famous Old Testament story out of the book of Daniel.  When king Nebuchadnezzar established a decree in the land stating that whenever music was played every citizen will bow down and worship him and his golden statue, three young Jewish men refused to worship anything or anyone that wasn't the one True God of Israel.  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the face of the king's fury refused to bow down and worship, and firmly stood in faith and trusting obedience to the Lord.  This infuriated the king who then ordered a fiery furnace to be blasted to as hot as it can go, and for the three men to be cast into the furnace.  In the face of death, the three men answered, "our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand."  With eminent physical death moments away, they still remained faithful to God.  The story goes on as the scriptures above highlight.  The men were bound together and cast in the fire, yet once in the fire, the king saw four men walking around unbound, with the fourth looking like a "son of the gods."  For king Nebuchadnezzar this event would be the beginning of a change of heart.  For the three young Jewish men, this was a test of faith in face of an incredible circumstance.  Some scholars will say that the fourth man was Jesus, before His incarnation, demonstrating an early event of deliverance and salvation to His people.  Others will say this was an angel of the Lord, protecting these three men.  Which ever you think, what is clear is that the presence of God was with the men.  This is a very important reminder for many of us today.  The Lord did not deliver the men at first, He stood with them.  God promises, "I will never leave you or forsake you" (Heb 13, Deut 31).  Whatever trial or difficult circumstance you find yourself in today, remember the Lord's promise to be with you.  Jesus says, that "in the world we will have trouble, but take heart because I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).  We are never told that following Jesus will be easy, in fact it is quite the opposite, but we can walk with a peace and a confidence knowing that He is with us always, no matter how hard life gets.  And as we walk in manner of trust and faithfulness, especially in the midst of troubles, we never know who God is changing through our faithful action.  This was the beginning of a wicked king's transformation, and it was a faithful action of trust, that ultimately showed God's deliverance and salvation.  Today pray and ask God for the perseverance to trust Him in the midst of whatever you are going through.  Remember that the Lord is with you no matter what you are going through!  Put your confidence in Him knowing that He is always with you, no matter how hard life gets.  And continue to persevere, and wait on the salvation and deliverance of our loving Lord and Savior!  Love you all!  Praying for you and yours!  Have a blessed day, it's your choice!