Meeting God in the Furnace
In the book of Daniel, three Hebrew men went into the fire with their bodies already dead to the world. “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up” (Daniel 3:16-18, ESV). They were able to offer their bodies joyfully as living sacrifices, and Jesus literally met them in their crisis.
What do you think they said to Jesus when he showed up in the furnace? “Thank you for not letting us feel the pain. Thank you for giving us another chance, for a few more years.”
No! I believe they said, “Lord, take us with you! Don’t leave us here. We have touched the ecstasy, the glory, and we don’t want to go back. Walk us home to be with you.” They surely would have preferred to be with him. Jesus knows this kind of heart, and it is to such that he commits himself.
Are you able to say, “Lord, walk me home”? Perhaps you’ve never learned to commit your body, your business, your marriage and your crises into God’s hands.
Yes, we are always to pray in faith, believing that God will answer; yet we are to trust him completely with our situation, saying in our hearts, “But if not, Lord, I’m still going to trust you. Lord, you are able to deliver me from this fiery furnace. But if not, I will still believe. Even if I have to go on in this horrible trial, if I have to face more suffering, more testing, I commit everything to you. Just come and walk through it with me.” Can you pray this prayer?
I promise you that Jesus Christ will come into your crisis. He will take you by your hand and lead you through the fire. I consider the coming of Christ into my crisis to be the greatest possible answer to prayer. When he comes, his presence lifts me above all my pain or confusion. When Jesus appears at your side, he takes you by the hand and makes you stand strong.
