SUNDAY January 9, 2022

Testing by Fire

Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
Daniel 3:14-15

God works in different ways in different people’s lives. He never follows the exact same pattern. Think about the three Hebrew children Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego; they were ordered to worship a golden image. King Nebuchadnezzar commanded that when they heard a symphony of music, they were to fall down and worship the golden image.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused. King Nebuchadnezzar warned them that if they did not fall down and worship, they would be cast into the fiery furnace. They declared to the king: “...our God whom we serve is able to deliver us...” (Daniel 3:17).

The king commanded some of his mighty men to heat the fire seven times hotter, bind the Hebrews, and cast them into the furnace. The king’s men died from the intense heat! As the three Hebrew men stood in the fire with their hands no longer bound, and with a fourth like the Son of God, the king declared, “...there is no other God who can deliver like this” (Daniel 3:29).

Understand, it does not matter how hot the fiery trials may be, you will never be consumed, because Jesus is with you in the midst of the fire. Jesus is always victorious! He walks with you in the fire and delivers you! When you are going through the fire, and others see your joy in the Lord, they will also place their trust in Him, knowing there is no other God like Him!

“When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.”
~Isaiah 43:2~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!