Good Morning Children of God,In our time apart we are growing together as a family of faith committed to prayer, patience, faith and love. We are strong in the Lord!Here is Wednesday’s message:
Wednesday’s Message
April 1, 2020
LESSONS IN HUMILITY AND INTEGRITY
THE FIERY FURNACE
Daniel Ch. 3
During the season of Lent the Wednesday Message has focused on Biblical lessons in humility and integrity. Our Lenten journey began on Ash Wednesday when we cried out to the Lord saying “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 That was a prayer asking God to improve our character. Humility and integrity have been the focus in this series because they are foundational to one’s character. The Bible is filled with stories of people who fail because of pride and wrongdoing as well as those who conquer through humility and integrity. Jesus said “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Daniel Ch. 3 contains a memorable story of three men who in the face of adversity humbled themselves before God, acted with integrity, and won the victory.
The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace has become the “theme story” of the St Paul Men’s Bible Study Group. The bottom line of the story is “Trust God no matter what!” In the group’s discussions, regardless of the topic, that is typically where we end up. Someone invariably will conclude the analysis by saying, “Trust God no matter what!”
The fiery furnace serves as a great metaphor for the challenges of life. It is an understatement to say that the world is presently in the fiery furnace of Covid-19. This virus is threatening life, creating fear and altering societies in ways we don’t yet completely understand. In the face of this pandemic the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego should inspire us to say often “Trust God no matter what!”
As the story is told in Daniel Ch. 3, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon decreed that everyone throughout his kingdom must worship a golden statue he had constructed as well as the gods of Babylon. Three Jewish men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to obey the King’s order. They were threatened with death if their refusal continued. The King said they would be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. In the face of this terrifying situation, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered saying, “If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us. But if not, be it known to you O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up.” Daniel 3:17-18
The power in this story lies in the fact that although the three men desired divine deliverance from the fiery furnace, they were sticking with God even if deliverance was not the outcome. They let it be known that they were going to trust God no matter what. They humbled themselves before God, refusing to put their trust in anything other than God, and they acted with integrity, i.e. they did the right thing even in the face of a threat backed by death.
The story continues with the king following through with his threat and then some. He has the furnace heated up seven times more than was customary before throwing the bound men into the blazing furnace. But when the king peers into the furnace he sees four men walking around and one has the appearance of “a god.”
This part of the story is a great reminder that we belong to a God who is with us in our time of trouble. Jesus blessed us with the understanding that he is with us always no matter what. His promise is that he will not abandon us or forsake us. He is in the fiery furnace with us.
The crucifixion of our Lord is God’s strong statement that he stands by us in life, in suffering, and in death. Jesus humbled himself before the Father and showed tremendous integrity by being obedient unto death; even death on a cross. He trusted the Father no matter what. For us, his death is the difference between perishing and living. Just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked out of the blazing furnace unscathed, because of Jesus we will emerge from the furnace of death one day whole and well. “Be faithful until death, and I will give you a crown of life.” Revelation 2:10
In this time of testing courtesy of Covid-19, the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego reminds us that the test is passed when we humble ourselves before God, and do the right thing. The right thing is to take on each day with the attitude that “WE WILL TRUST OUR GOD NO MATTER WHAT!” Amen.
STAY STRONG IN THE LORD!
Peace and blessings,
Pastor Bill