Chapter 1- Don't let the new world you find yourself in stop you being who you are meant to be and living in the Lord's ways
Chapter 2- Remember to remain Steadfast in the Lord, make sure that your life is not standing on Shaky things (Jesus is the only constant rock) and know that God is always Sovereign; He knows what He is doing in all situations and is in control. (including when your student loan doesn't come through for many weeks-God knew that it was going to come eventually- I just had to be patient and trust Him!!)
Last night's chapter though really really spoke to me. And I knew that it was the theme that my first really blog message should concentrate on.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are Daniel's friends. They all find themselves living in Babylon-a very Godforsaken place. This chapter concentrates on how Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refuse to bow to a statue of King Nebuchadnezzar; because this goes against what they believe that God is the only one we should worship.
The punishment for refusal was to be bound and thrown into a fiery furnace. King Neb wasn't at all happy that these young lads weren't cooperating so ordered that the fire was to be made hotter than it has ever been before. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were tied up tightly and thrown in-the fire was that hot that the soldiers that threw then in were instantly killed!! That is one mean hot fire!!
But as King Neb watches the fire he sees that no longer are the lads tied up-there is also a man who looks like a God walking around in the fire with them. AND the lads are totally not hurt!
So Neb orders them out-and they aren't even singed or scorched in anyway!
The parts of this passage which spoke very much to me were;
- These young lads were serving God and God loved them very much-but yet they are thrown into the fire. Sometimes God allows fiery situations (hard times in life, temptations, tragedies) to hit those who He loves an incredible amount and the ones who He is going to use greatly. The devil also attacks those who he sees as a threat to him-the ones that are following God.
Now I'm not being egotistical but I feel that this point is to be a "comfort" and strength to me. At my baptism part of the word that God gave to me was to tell me that He loved me first (1 John 4:10 tells us that we love God because he loved us first). And also that He has given me so many blessings in my life but I am to walk with Him-because the world needs me to. God loves me an incredible amount (as is the case with all His children) and I know He has a huge plan for my life- many things have been spoken over my life.
So this fire that has been trying to scorch me and my family is shaping us because God loves us and we are going to be big servants of Him. (My Grandparents and Parents have for many years been very wonderful servants of the Lord) - What the young guys lose in the fire is not their lives but the ropes that bind them. The fact that people who God loves and has big plans for are the ones that end up in very fiery furnaces seems strange!! But this shows that its a refining and molding process.
God has been shaping me and taking out my impurities for years. This fire that I know find myself in wasn't given by God but He has allowed it to happen so that the ropes that bind me will be removed. So through this I will learn to be pure, 100% devoted to Him, no longer distracted by worldly things. My flaws, imperfections and ungodly traits will be worked on as I trust completely in Him. In these troubled times I need to fix my eyes totally on the Lord. - We can only get through the fires with the strength of the Lord. The trio would have certainly died in that fire if God hadn't stepped into it with them. So when the fiery arrows of the evil one come-the temptations, the tragedies, we need to be drawing our strength from the Lord or else we will certainly become consumed.
- Its in the furnace that Jesus walks with them. He's always there in furnace times. Well He's always there anyway-But in the furnace He chooses to walk right beside you. Like the footprints poem-In the hard times of life He carries you on through. Here in the furnace He is walking closer to me than he ever has done before-I just have to cling to Him. For many years I have wanted to be closer to Jesus- This is my chance because He wants to hold me on through this Fire.
- And the verses in Isaiah 43 were read last night. This of course reduced me to tears. I just have to keep trusting the sovereignty of God-trust Him that He is going to be glorified in this. My family will not be Consumed by these flames, we will not drown in the water. The storm cannot harm us. Because He is God-The Holy one and He has summoned us by name, We are His, Redeemed by His blood.
This hard journey cannot have gone on this long without God performing a miracle. We just have to wait for that. My Grandpa will be restored-in God's perfect timing and we as a family will be stronger and further into God's likeness than ever before-walker closely with the Lord.
I love my family so much. And it breaks my heart to see my Grandpa hurting this much. And to know that my Nanny is having to care for him even though this is hard for her too. And to see my Mummy and Daddy being absolute troopers but knowing that this is always weighing on their minds-especially knowing that my Dad is having to continue working so hard to support us but he now also has the added weight of seeing his rock of a father suffering.
I look at how blessed we have been over the years and yes I do ask why.
Especially seen as though God told me New Years Day this year that 2007 was going to be a great year. So I'm still anticipating the miracle we have been waiting for since April.
I know that God will meet with the Briars family through our broken hearts-He will help us through our weariness and will do amazing things; Bringing ALL of us through the other end of the fire not even singed or scorched a little bit.
AMEN
xxxx
