In the Old Testament book of Daniel there is a story about three Jewish men named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego…Which for the sake of this blog we will call them by their Veggie Tale names: Rack, Shack, & Benny.  If you don’t know what Veggie Tales is I recommend checking it out…talking vegetable, french peas, tubas…it’s legit! 

At the time that Rack, Shack, & Benny were alive they were living under the rule of a foreign king named Nebuchadnezzar…I know these names are something else…but this king had just dedicated a huge golden statue and demanded that everyone worship it when certain music is played.  Rack, Shack, & Benny refused to worship the false god and would only worship the one true God.  This didn’t sit well with the king so he gave them an ultimatum: worship my gold image and fall down before it or be thrown alive into a blazing hot furnace. What a nice guy!

In replay to the king this is what our three gentlemen had to say:

“King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

And ultimately they were bound and thrown into the furnace for refusing to worship the king’s false god.  To the king’s surprise Rack, Shack, & Benny were completely unharmed by the fire and heat.  There was even fourth figure walking inside the furnace with them.  They were not alone in their fire.  There was another in the fire standing next to them, defending them, comforting them, and ultimately keeping them safe in the face of disaster.

Just like this story God will be with us when we face trials of many kinds.  He will be with us in our stress, anxiety, temptations, sickness, loss, and defeat.  When we trust in God and believe in the power of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ we are never alone.  There is always another in our circumstances and in our battles.

And that is something to have joy about.

What “fires” has God walked through with you?

How is God actively working in your current fire?

What is your favorite way to worship the one true God?