Daily Encouragement

Well, each morning I usually decide between one of the four places in my reading plan to use for the daily encouragement. This morning I was torn between two. Instead of picking which one I will try to tie the two together.

The first is the amazing story of Daniel 3. It is so clear that anyone can understand it. It’s so dependent on faith that it’s easy to see how hard it is to trust the Lord. But after seeing Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego trust the Lord in the fiery furnace we are left with exposed hearts likely wondering what we would have done.

While it may seem hard to trust the Lord whom you cannot see verses your enemies whom you can see and you can feel the ropes binding you and you can feel the heat from the furnace before you, the hidden reality and the deliverance available comes only by faith which cannot be seen. You might point out that there is no mention of faith in that story. You are correct.

However their faith is more obvious than if it had been said that they had faith. Their actions say it loud and clear. They resist Nebuchadnezzar’s command but gladly obey God’s command at the risk of their lives.

Daniel 3:16-18

[16] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. [17] If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. [18] But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Not only were they delivered but those who bound them were consumed by the furnace. Furthermore, the Most High God was made known through their glad obedience. And they were promoted as rulers of the land of Babylon. That pattern should be kept in mind. This is how it ends for all who trust the Lord. Maybe not in this land but later we will rule with our King.

But what would cause a man to give up on God in these moments? It’s simply this: John 12:43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God. The approval of men will deliver you in the present temporarily but even that is no guarantee. The approval of God will deliver you later in the future eternally and that is guaranteed forever.

How do you know that you have faith? What does the test scores say? What does the fruit say? What did the life of the three Hebrew boys say? Whose approval do you seek? Do you want self preservation now or later? Temporary or eternal?

Trust the Lord like these guys and know your approval rests in the finished word of Christ who trusted the Father all the way to the cross and he was raised to life eternal. And so will we if we trust him and gladly follow him.