Fire

So I came across this story in God's word, and just felt really psyched to write about it.  It's a pretty well known story.(:

So in Daniel Ch.3, there's a story about three men-Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego...And they all live in Babylon. There's this king, Nebuchadnezzar, who kind of has a big head. He thinks he's pretty hot stuff, so he decides to set up a statue ninety feet high and nine feet wide of himself, made completely out of gold.  Not only that, but he made a proclamation that whenever the people of Babylon hear a trumpet sound, they are required to bow down and worship king Nebbie's statue.  And whoever doesn't fall down and worship the statue will be sentenced to burn in a fiery furnace... I don't know about you, but that sounds pretty scary, burning in a furnace, and definitely not the way I'd want to peace out of.  So, out of fear, everyone fell down and worshipped the statue.
Everyone except Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego...
"At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, 'O king, Live forever! You have issued a decree, O king, that every one who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.  But there are some jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon-Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego-who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up." Daniel 3:8-12

I love how the old testament can so easily apply to our lives, just as much as the new testament.
In our Christian walk, we are called to live a life set apart from the world..And this story paints such a clear picture of the walk that we should be walking.  Here's this powerful king that makes this decree, in which the punishment is death..and not a quick, painless death either..a fiery furnace. And it talks about earlier in chapter three that "all people, nations and men of every language fell down and worshipped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up." Which, I mean if you want to survive...it makes sense, right? Worship the statue and you keep your life.
"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it." -Luke 9:24
Living a life devoted to Christ means not looking like those around you. When everyone is bowing down to things of the world, to their own modern version of the golden statue, as Christians we are called to proudly stand, take up our cross and follow Christ. That looks different to every person. Whether it's facing teasing or heat from friends for not giving in to peer pressure, or if you're legitimately risking your life to share your faith, each of us have our own cross to bear.  And people notice.  Because if you're surrounded by people bowing down, worshipping things of the world,a nd you're the only one standing up..people will see..because you're the only one standing. And that's scary.
Here's some encouragement though. Back to the story..
So when King Nebbie finds out that his three homeboys aren't bowing to his statue..He's "furious with rage"(vs 13). So he summons the three Jews, and questions them himself about their refusal to bow.  He asks them one more time if they really refused to worship him, the KING...and they say..
"O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 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 3:16-18
Although the three men are speaking truth, it still completely sets off king Nebbie, and the king orders that the furnace be heated seven times hotter...And the men get thrown in the furnace..
"He said, 'Look! I se four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
They get thrown in a furnace..something that should have killed them, and they walk around in the furnace..unharmed.
How powerful is our God!
But here's the thing..That story is just a true testament that our God will NEVER leave us..When things get hard, it's so easy to completely forget that God is with us..and it's also easy to question God's power. But remember what the three men told Nebbie?! No matter what king Neb. did, the men didn't need to defend themselves-God, the TRUE God's will would prevail.  Sometimes we go through fire, different from what the three men went through, though.  Our faith is tested. We doubt. Tough times come. But God does not ever leave. He does not forsake us! When we're walking through that fire, whether we recognize it or not, He is with us. How awesome is that! The God who defeated death not only loves us and pursues us, but is all powerful-and all he does is for our well-being, for the good of those who love him. If God is for us, WHO can be against us?
The Lord will not lead us through something in which his will cannot be accomplished! SO why not stand up? Why not be bold, and walk out on a limb on faith. We don't have to be afraid of persecution when sharing our faith, because God is on our side..
so let's start living our life unafraid of the fire...because the fire refines us.