So much happened this weekend, and I have not had time to blog about it all. So, there are going to be three blogs today to catch you up on my thoughts from this past weekend. Hope you don't mind my blogger happy self =)
Anyways, yesterday at church we discussed Daniel 3:17-18. This is a familiar passage to all, as it is the story of the three young boys and the fiery furnace.
However, once my dad started preaching, two verses really stood out to me:
"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."
Daniel 3:17-18
I love the way these verses are written. A few simple words in this really gives it meaning. For one, in verse 17, they say the God we serve is able. Able. He is able to save us. But notice that they do not say he will. I was completely struck by this. So many times we automatically assume that we will be saved from things and just forget the main part of that: our God IS ABLE to do so. Continuing on, they say but even if he does not...That's when I stopped. Putting it together, yes our God is able to deliever us and save us, but what about if he does not? What then?
See, this is something that I know I have been working on, and I think this just sealed the deal. I have had things thrown at me this past year that I hope some people never have to experience. I never once thought that God loved me less because of this, but I did question when I would be delievered from it. But the thing is, just because He is able to, doesn't mean that He will.
Our God is a God who doesn't only deliver you FROM trials, but He delivers you THROUGH them. Sometimes, this fire we go through, is melting our hearts, and molding us into the person God desires for us to be. We are being perfected by the Creator, not persecuted. We are being made whole, not being torn down.
And even if He does not, He is still my God, He is still the faithful one I love, and He is still my heart's desire.
Don't be discouraged by the things you face, but rather encouraged that through this all, you are being perfected, shaped, and molded to continue serving our Father in the greatest ways possible. Allow for these moments of healing. And be aware that although you go through these moments of pain, you are never alone.
in verse 17 - the "if it be so" means if the king throws us into the fiery furnace and in verse 18 - "if not" means if the king does not throw us into the fiery furnace - so the 3 Jewish boys will not bow down to idols whether the king throws them in or even if the king does not throw them in . The if not does not speak of God's will in question - they already declared that their God is able and willing. Hope this helps - have faith in God - unwavering faith and look in Ephesians 5 when it is written that it is our responsibility to know what the will of God is.
ReplyDelete