Our Fortress

"If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, 

The God we serve is able to save us from it, 

and He will rescue us from your hand, O king."

- Daniel 3:17

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I've long understood that following the political and world news would bring nothing but frustration and heartache, but being involved in our culture is a necessity, and burying our heads in the sand is just not a smart option. 

There's a lot going on in the Middle East right now, a lot going on in our world. A lot of war, murder, torture, hunger, disease, slavery, trafficking, turning from God, destruction and sadness. There are rumors of terrorists reaching American soil, attacks on our nation, and threats of more killings. There is a lot of pain, and no one in the media is able to offer any hope. 

It's easy to get discouraged, it's easy to be afraid. What if we do have another attack like 9/11? What if ISIS does reach America? What if we are killed for our faith in Jesus? What if our world is shaken and torn apart? How will we protect our children? These are questions that can keep us up at night, questions we struggle to answer and come to peace with. And just this morning, after reading the news, my own heart was heavy: "What if, God?"... "Will You allow this here?" 

And the answer my heart keeps hearing is: "Yes", heartache will reach my door. None of us can escape pain or fear, but as Christians, we are different from the lost world, because we know Who is in control, and we know that God Himself is our Hope and security, even in the most terrible times. 

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This verse in Daniel comes from the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, when they refused to bow down to the golden idol that King Nebuchadnezzar had ordered them to worship. The three men knew that the penalty would be death, but bowing down was not an option for them. I'm sure there were moments they were afraid, I'm sure they questioned God, they were after all, just people like you and I. 

These three men were not super heroes, they didn't have any special powers, and they certainly couldn't stop the king from putting them to death. But they did have one important difference, they had their faith in God Almighty. And when it came time for them to enter the blazing furnace, they declared: "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, The God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king!" Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were just normal men, but their faith in God was sound, and they knew that God would save them, no matter what the king chose to do to them. 

And God did save them. He surrounded them with His angels, and He didn't allow even their clothes to be scorched. God delivered them for sure, and preserved them because of their faith. 

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Brothers and sisters, the reason I felt it was important for me to share this story today, is because we are promised to face pain and hardship in this world. We know that the world is fallen, and we are in uncertain times, but our hope is not in this world, or the powers that be, our hope is in God, and our hope is secure. 

The God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is the same God who watches over us today, and if He could save those 3 men thousands of years ago, our Good God Who DOES NOT CHANGE, is able to save us too. And no matter what the media says, and no matter what wars storm our walls, The Almighty God is our fortress, and He is our protector. 

We need to take comfort in that today. We need to shut out the voices of the world, and rest in the peace that God is in control, and that He will take care of us, whatever may come.