The Lord in Our Midst
“Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” (Daniel 3:24)
Imagine the intensity of these two scenes back to back:
First, the music begins to play…everyone bows down in unison…except three men who are boldly standing! As the eyes of those around them turn toward them in disbelief, their eyes remain firmly fixed on their God. With hearts beating faster, their unbending conviction leads them to hold their ground and keep the faith. These men are not concerned with the great image before them but with the presence of God in their midst who they trust will deliver them from whatever consequences they might face.
Next, the furious King cannot believe the audacity of these three men who refuse to bow the knee and demands that his servants make the furnace seven times hotter than it was before to receive these men who have refused to worship before his golden mage.
Did not the king know that these three men were the same men who had been involved in interpreting his significant dream with Daniel? Regardless, the King's pride would not endure such defiance and so he required them to be scorched in the midst of the furnace. So the death sentence was given...yet again.
...But then came the impossible.
Just as they were thrown into the fiery furnace, the flames ironically came up and killed the men who were carrying out the king's orders. Yet Daniel's three friends were completely unharmed, with not a single hair on their heads singed nor the smell of fire on their garments. The Lord was with them in the fire and the Lord is with you beloved!
As the prophet Isaiah had declared in a previous generation,
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you" (Isaiah 43:2).
Many strange and life threatening trials will more than likely come our way but let it be for unwavering obedience that we suffer and not our rebellion. For the Lord honors the genuineness of our faith which, according to the Apostle Peter, is "more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, [and] may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:7).
Have you ever been persecuted or cast into a dark trial because of your obedience to the faith? May you know that your dark place can also be a space for deep revelation in discovering more of who God is.
When you make a space for God's presence, what feels like "God is nowhere" becomes "God is now here!" The difference is found in the space of God's abiding presence. As the psalmist David said, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4)
You may be thrust into the midst of a fiery trial, but the Lord is with you and in the midst of you. So... "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: 'The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'”
These men refused to bow down to an image of gold and now their faith would become their reward. Just as Job said, "But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10).
Inside this fiery furnace, they were able to see the pre-incarnate Jesus standing with them and protecting them. Consider how they went from seeing the fire that should have consumed them to singing before their Creator now in the midst of them!
These three men would never be the same again! If you don't have a song of faith in your heart today, take comfort in knowing that the Lord always has you in His heart.
As Zephaniah the prophet would say,
"The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
Are you aware of His presence right now? Do you see how the practice of His presence will help you to endure any tests that you might need to go through in order to have your heart purified and your testimony solidified?
When you know that the Lord is in your midst and that He stands with you, you will never be alone or without His divine presence and power. Others will feel the heat of your faith and witness God's faithfulness and will declare like the King, "there is no other God who can deliver like this.”
DANIEL CHALLENGE:
Ask God to make you more aware of his presence
That you may be strong in the midst of your fiery trials.
Imagine the intensity of these two scenes back to back:
First, the music begins to play…everyone bows down in unison…except three men who are boldly standing! As the eyes of those around them turn toward them in disbelief, their eyes remain firmly fixed on their God. With hearts beating faster, their unbending conviction leads them to hold their ground and keep the faith. These men are not concerned with the great image before them but with the presence of God in their midst who they trust will deliver them from whatever consequences they might face.
Next, the furious King cannot believe the audacity of these three men who refuse to bow the knee and demands that his servants make the furnace seven times hotter than it was before to receive these men who have refused to worship before his golden mage.
Did not the king know that these three men were the same men who had been involved in interpreting his significant dream with Daniel? Regardless, the King's pride would not endure such defiance and so he required them to be scorched in the midst of the furnace. So the death sentence was given...yet again.
...But then came the impossible.
Just as they were thrown into the fiery furnace, the flames ironically came up and killed the men who were carrying out the king's orders. Yet Daniel's three friends were completely unharmed, with not a single hair on their heads singed nor the smell of fire on their garments. The Lord was with them in the fire and the Lord is with you beloved!
As the prophet Isaiah had declared in a previous generation,
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you" (Isaiah 43:2).
Many strange and life threatening trials will more than likely come our way but let it be for unwavering obedience that we suffer and not our rebellion. For the Lord honors the genuineness of our faith which, according to the Apostle Peter, is "more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, [and] may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:7).
Have you ever been persecuted or cast into a dark trial because of your obedience to the faith? May you know that your dark place can also be a space for deep revelation in discovering more of who God is.
When you make a space for God's presence, what feels like "God is nowhere" becomes "God is now here!" The difference is found in the space of God's abiding presence. As the psalmist David said, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4)
You may be thrust into the midst of a fiery trial, but the Lord is with you and in the midst of you. So... "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: 'The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'”
These men refused to bow down to an image of gold and now their faith would become their reward. Just as Job said, "But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10).
Inside this fiery furnace, they were able to see the pre-incarnate Jesus standing with them and protecting them. Consider how they went from seeing the fire that should have consumed them to singing before their Creator now in the midst of them!
These three men would never be the same again! If you don't have a song of faith in your heart today, take comfort in knowing that the Lord always has you in His heart.
As Zephaniah the prophet would say,
"The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
Are you aware of His presence right now? Do you see how the practice of His presence will help you to endure any tests that you might need to go through in order to have your heart purified and your testimony solidified?
When you know that the Lord is in your midst and that He stands with you, you will never be alone or without His divine presence and power. Others will feel the heat of your faith and witness God's faithfulness and will declare like the King, "there is no other God who can deliver like this.”
DANIEL CHALLENGE:
Ask God to make you more aware of his presence
That you may be strong in the midst of your fiery trials.
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