Going Through the Fire

The word "fire" has been coming up a lot lately.  Going through the "fire" is a refining process.  When gold is purified it is heated and the impurities rise to the top and then are skimmed off.  The process is repeated until the gold is pure. 

Recently, I was reminded of the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego (if you know the Veggie-Tale version, it would be Rack, Shack, & Bennie) in Daniel 3.  They had an experience in a "fire". When they refused to disobey God's laws (when they refused to give into the world's view), they were bound and thrown into a fiery furnace. The furnace was so hot that the guards that threw them in died of the extreme heat.  But a fiery death was not the fate of the three Jewish boys. 

When the king looked in the furnace, he did not see just 3 forms walking around but 4.  After the king called them out, they were found unhurt, their hair was not singed, their garments not damaged, and they did not smell of fire. But three very noticeable things did happen in the fire: 1) the "fire" burnt off what bound them and they freely walked around 2) Jesus walked with them in the "fire" 3) the king praised God.

 1. "fire" purifies

 2. "fire" burns off what binds us

 3. Jesus walks through the "fire" with us

 4. others will believe in Jesus because we go through the "fire" 

"You are my Hiding Place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance." - Psalm 32:7