fiery trials?

God never promised that we would live an easy, trouble-free life.  But He says that "we are more than conquerors" (Romans 8:37). 

Are you facing a trial?  So did three young men in one of my most favorite books of the Old Testament...Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (more commonly known as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) in Daniel chapter three.  The king who had taken them captive set up an image of gold for all the people in Babylon to worship...if they didn't do just that, they would be thrown into a fiery furnace.

They didn't do it. 

They stood their ground, they remained full of integrity, and in the midst of all those bowed-down bodies, there they stood.  The king was furious and ordered that the furnace be made seven times hotter...so much hotter than when the soldiers took the three men to be thrown in, they themselves were killed. 

But not the three young men. 

They were thrown in...and they walked around, fully dressed with robes, turbans, sandals and other clothing.  And the king thought he saw a fourth man...one who looked a "son of the gods" (v.25).  Maybe not a son of the gods (little g), but maybe it was THE Son of God. 

My speculation only...that's not written in the Bible...well, it is in my notes, but you know what I mean.

The three young men made it out of that furnace, with no smell of fire on them (v.27). 

Have you ever sat around a campfire?  And walked away smelling like it?

Not these young men. 

They had complete and total faith in God...that He would deliver them FROM the fire, THROUGH the fire or BY the fire.  In any one of those ways, it was a win/win situation. 

I want that kind of faith. 

Do you?

Just a thought.

Love to all.