It Hurts

King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then he sent messages to the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up. 3 So all these officials came and stood before the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

4 Then a herald shouted out, “People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king’s command! 5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. 6 Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”

7 So at the sound of the musical instruments, all the people, whatever their race or nation or language, bowed to the ground and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

8 But some of the astrologers went to the king and informed on the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king! 10 You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments. 11 That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.”

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in, 14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? 15 I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

19 Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. 20 Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments. 22 And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. 23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames.

24 But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied.

25 “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!”

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. 27 Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!”

30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.

It hurts.  That's all you know.  Life feels like you are living in a windowless room, no light can penetrate, and  even  if you could find the door it would be locked anyway.  And it hurts.  I've been there.  I know someone who is there now.  And I know many others sit in the dark, wondering if they are forgotten or will ever get out.  At times like these faith seems futile.  Why bother?  You don't have the energy or desire to scrape some together anyway.  In times like these we feel God has forgotten us, hates us, or maybe doesn't even exist.   But none of those are true.  Satan loves for us to blame God, to turn from Him, to stop believing.  It plays into his evil plans for us, for destruction, for loss. I've done this myself...doubted, blamed, turned away...and yet, God never did.  He never turned from me.  And He is not turning from you either.  He is there with us in the fire, even if we can't see through the smoke and flames.

This is the time to seek Him more, through prayer and fasting, study and worship.   This is the time when we need to go to the deepest parts of ourselves and dig in.  This is the time to hold on tight to the promises of Scripture.  All those things....it's hard, but it's the only way to exit the fire, unharmed and not even smelling like smoke.  Why bother?  Because the truth is God has a good plan.  It's just a ways down the road and out of sight right now.  I know.  I am in my own dark tunnel in some areas of my life.  I don't see the light, there is no easy way through.  I don't see the plan.  And I hate it.  But I know God.

For all those who are fighting, for those who have given up, I pray.  I pray you will lift your face to the Lord.  I pray that He will give you the strength for today.  I know it's empty and dark...I pray that this hour, this minute you will grasp His hand and hold on.  Lord, light a spark of belief, a tiny flame of trust and let it grow.  Thank You for the example of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.  I pray that this entry will encourage those who are in the fire.  You are God.  You are sovereign and You know infinitely more than we ever can...help Your children to believe and hold onto that truth.

Take a tiny step of belief today.

Romans 11:33-34 Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge!  How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His ways.  For who can know the Lord's thoughts?  Who knows enough to give Him advice. 

Romans 8:35-39  Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love?  Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?   (As the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed everyday; we are being slaughtered like sheep.")  No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love.  Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.  No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Isaiah 43:1-4  But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.  O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.   I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.  When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.  When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.  For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.  I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place.  Others were given in exchange for you. traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me.  You are honored, and I love you.

This was a verse the Lord gave me long ago, when I was in an especially dark and heartless place. He just wants each of us to know how very precious we are to Him.  Praying for all of you, dear readers, that you will be encouraged, be strong in the Lord, and hold on.