Dancing through the heat!

"Though I walk in the midst of the trouble, thou wilt revive me; though shall stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of my enemies, and thy right hand shall save me" (Psalm 138:7)

I have been focused on the book of Daniel and reflecting back on the Triumphant Trio, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who were rescued from the fiery furnace. How many of you can relate to feeling like you have been thrown into the furnace with the heat cranked up? I know I can relate to feeling this kind of pressure. Let's dive a little into the history of the Triumphant Trio, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were Jewish political officials that were appointed by King Nebuchadnezzar. They were strong-willed, faith-filled believers who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the Holy Father. They were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any God, except their own TRUE God, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. King Nebuchadnezzar, unwilling to submit, built a 90-foot idol made out of 18-karat gold, which theologians believe was erected as an image of Bel, a pagan god. All people were ordered to bow down and grovel at the feet of this golden idol. If they failed to do so, they were to be thrown into the midst of a fiery furnace.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down and worship any other god but their God, who they knew and trusted. This refusal sent King Nebuchadnezzar into a raging fury, ordering the furnace to be heated seven times hotter, commanding that the trio be cast into the blazing hot furnace. The three were bound up and tossed into the fire. It was so hot that the men ordered to carry out the plan were burnt to a crisp, dying in the process. King Nebuchadnezzar, astounded at what he saw, peered into the furnace, and guess what? He saw FOUR men, obviously fireproof, dancing around the midst of the flames. "Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of Man." (Daniel 3:26)

After emerging from the fire, not one hair on their head was singed nor did they or their garments smell of smoke. Nebuchadnezzar pardoned them acknowledging Yahweh, ordering that if anyone shows disrespect to Yahweh, they be torn from limb to limb.

What does all of this mean for us today? By taking a courageous stand and defending our faith in Jesus, we can serve as a witness. It takes courage and boldness to do the things that we know will be pleasing unto The Father. Courage comes when we know that God is with us, no matter what. When we take the first step to be obedient, God will meet us where we are at and give us the strength necessary to carry out His will. Hebrews 13:5 tells us that "He will never leave us, nor forsake us". We just need to remove the limitations that we, in our own minds, place on God and allow Him to work on our behalf.

We can cast our cares upon Him and know that he will help us "emerge from the fire and not get burnt". In fact, when we are in the midst of the trials in life, we can be just as the Triumphant Trio were, loose and free, dancing through the heat with our Lord dancing right by our side, protecting us every step of the way! "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." (Ephesians 6:16) Even better, when everything is going great, we can be loose and free, knowing Jesus is with us pouring out is blessings and rejoicing along with us! ©Rita Larson 3/20/23