Gutsy

Two themes seem to be emerging from my blogs over the last little while as I've been reflecting on different passages and verses from the Bible:

1 Waiting on God
2 God's promise to be with me through the fire


Tonight I was reminded that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego also walked through the fire, and that God was with them. They refused to bow down and worship the huge image of gold King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, so the King ordered that they be thrown into the furnace and that it be heated seven times hotter than usual. Even the guards who took them to the furnace were killed from the heat! Yet Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were unharmed! The passage even says that no hair on their head was singed, nor did they smell like fire.

These were three gutsy guys, who said, "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."

They trusted God completely, they knew He was (and still is) all-powerful, and they worshipped Him alone. They refused to worship any other god. They were prepared to stand up for what they believed in regardless of the outcome. That's what I call gutsy!

One of the interesting things about this passage is that God chose to allow these three men to be thrown into the furnace and to go THROUGH it. It reminds me of God's promise to be with us when we walk THROUGH the fire (Isaiah 43:1-4).

Why did God choose to allow them to go THROUGH the fire? He could have put the fire out instead, or come up with some other rescue plan. Why did He choose to keep them safe the way He did? Whatever the reason, in the end King Nebuchadnezzar realised that God alone is the all-powerful God who saves. As a result, he wanted to worship God, and God alone, not an image of gold.

What an amazing God, mighty and all-powerful. What an amazing God who promises to walk with us through the fire.