Depending on God
Scripture: Daniel 3:15-18 - Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
Can you imagine depending on the Lord to the point of having to be put in a burning/fiery furnace for not obeying a worldly king? What a model/example Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego are for us about depending/trusting in God – the one true God! What would you do if you were in that exact situation?
As believers, we know that God is able to deliver us. Romans five tells us that God may allow trials and difficult circumstances in our lives to strengthen our faith, or build our character. Sometimes I don’t understand the purpose of my trials, but I am learning to trust the Lord in the midst of the trials – even when the trials are extremely difficult. Job, who suffered in many different ways, was still able to say “Though He may slay me, yet will I hope (depend/trust) Him (Job 13:15), God does not always guarantee that we will never suffer, but He promises to be with us (Isaiah 43:2, Hebrews 13:5b). In times of trials, our attitude should be like Meshach, Shadrach and Abed-Nego. As we consistently depend on the Lord in circumstances, when we have to deal with an enormous/difficult trial, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can have victory! Jesus Himself said “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28). Even if Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego thought they had to suffer by burning to a crisp in the furnace, they would have refused to worship an idol. Many believers over the centuries have depended on God and were martyrs.
What a testimony! Even if we depend on the Lord, and as a result die from taking a stand the for Lord, as Christians we will be with the Lord for eternity!!! Our hope and encouragement in dealing with persecution, illness or pain in this life is knowing that this life is not the end!!! There is life after death. Eternal life is a promise, which enables us to live above pain, suffering and persecution – as we are depending on the Lord (John 3:16, Romans 8:18)
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father: We don’t know what we will experience in this life, but we know that you are with us. Help us to always depend on You. All this I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
(by Marsha Williams)
Can you imagine depending on the Lord to the point of having to be put in a burning/fiery furnace for not obeying a worldly king? What a model/example Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego are for us about depending/trusting in God – the one true God! What would you do if you were in that exact situation?
As believers, we know that God is able to deliver us. Romans five tells us that God may allow trials and difficult circumstances in our lives to strengthen our faith, or build our character. Sometimes I don’t understand the purpose of my trials, but I am learning to trust the Lord in the midst of the trials – even when the trials are extremely difficult. Job, who suffered in many different ways, was still able to say “Though He may slay me, yet will I hope (depend/trust) Him (Job 13:15), God does not always guarantee that we will never suffer, but He promises to be with us (Isaiah 43:2, Hebrews 13:5b). In times of trials, our attitude should be like Meshach, Shadrach and Abed-Nego. As we consistently depend on the Lord in circumstances, when we have to deal with an enormous/difficult trial, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can have victory! Jesus Himself said “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28). Even if Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego thought they had to suffer by burning to a crisp in the furnace, they would have refused to worship an idol. Many believers over the centuries have depended on God and were martyrs.
What a testimony! Even if we depend on the Lord, and as a result die from taking a stand the for Lord, as Christians we will be with the Lord for eternity!!! Our hope and encouragement in dealing with persecution, illness or pain in this life is knowing that this life is not the end!!! There is life after death. Eternal life is a promise, which enables us to live above pain, suffering and persecution – as we are depending on the Lord (John 3:16, Romans 8:18)
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father: We don’t know what we will experience in this life, but we know that you are with us. Help us to always depend on You. All this I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
(by Marsha Williams)
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