The
book of Daniel contains the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, three
young men who refused to worship the king’s idol, despite his promise that all
who disobeyed would be thrown into a fiery furnace. From Daniel 3:17 we see their
faith in God’s power of deliverance. “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver
us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O
king.”
If
they were anything like me, they would have been certain that God would not let
me be thrown into the fire. At the point when they were being tossed in, did
they ask, “God, why aren’t you protecting us?” I would have. God did protect
them, but not in the way they probably expected. They were thrown in, but they
weren’t burned.
In
my life, I have often had moments when I felt God’s reassurance that things
would work out. Sometimes however, the way out I was expecting doesn’t show up
and I think, “What happened? Why wasn’t I protected?” It’s only after I’m in
the fire that I realize, I’m not getting burned.
