Today at church we studied Psalms chapter 7, where David declares God is with him, a refuge in the trials of life. The reading brought Hillsong "Another in the Fire" to mind, so I shared it with my daughters, stopping to explain Daniel 3.
I explained how God literally stands in the fire with us. He protects and leads us, blessing our path in every worthwhile manner.
Hazel asked "if God protects us, why are some people homeless". Which is a great question! And I told her so. How observant of her, some people do have harder lives: sickness, poverty, and pain.
Holding my two kiddos close I said, its complicated but we have to remember that Jesus never promised us a safe life, He just promised us Himself. He stands in the fire, He carries our burdens, He pays our debts, He fills us up and makes all things new.
"There is another in the fire, standing next to me..."
Hillsong United
Daniel 3:15-18 English Standard Version (ESV)
15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good.[a] But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”
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.[b]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.”*
I absolutely love this passage!
Standing before a king, threatened with death by fire, these three young men declare: you have no power over us, God can deliver us, but even if he doesn't I will still worship Him alone.
It is as Joshua, "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Lord Jesus, may we be as these men also, casting fear aside encouraged by your faithfulness. You will be our refuge, when we need it most.
As always thanks for your time and attention. Have an amazing day and God bless.
"If I ever need reminding of the power that lives in me, there is a grave that holds no body, and that power lives in me!"
Hillsong United, Another in the Fire
