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Respite For the Weary
My three previous ABC posts are: Make me, Mold me, Move me; Name above all Names; and Offer help Often. The next phrase is: Prince of Peace, Please Come.
Prince of Peace, Please Come? Synopsis of John 8:39-42, 56-59.
During Jesus' day, the leading scribes and Pharisees could not accept Jesus as the Son of God. They considered their "father" to be Abraham and they strictly followed the rules and regulations from long ago. These religious men did not understand that Jesus was the fulfillment of the law, as well as the new law- full of freedom, peace, and joy! Jesus told these Jews, "Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw and was glad…Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." When Jesus claimed to be greater than Abraham, and equal to God, they became enraged. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, had come and He was standing directly in front of them; but sadly, these men did not recognize Him.
Prince of Peace, Please Come! Synopsis of Daniel 3:8-30.
However, there were three other men, many hundreds of years prior, that had an unshakable faith in their God. At this point in history, the Israelites had been taken into captivity. All the people were commanded to bow down before a giant golden statue erected by King Nebuchadnezzar. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused, the king ordered them to be bound and thrown into a fiery furnace. The courageous young men said, "The God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O King. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." While the young men were in the midst of the fire, the king saw and spoke with amazement, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?…Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." Most certainly, the Prince of Peace had come.
When I look at these two stories side by side, here are few questions:
Do I believe God is with me, even in (especially in) difficult times?
Do I believe God will not leave me, no matter how hard things get?
What are practical ways that I can remind myself of the peaceful presence of God?
The Jewish scribes and Pharisees in the passage above simply could not and did not believe Jesus to be the Messiah. They closed their ears to His words and their eyes to His works. Therefore, His presence meant nothing. However, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, although they could not see God, they believed He existed as Savior. Their unshakeable faith gave them courage to step into the fire. There, they recognized the Prince of Peace.
Are you in the midst of a "fiery furnace" right now? Are there flames of anxiety, fear, sadness, or disappointment waving about? Believe He is with you. Know that He cares for you. What God did physically for these three faithful men long ago, He will do for your heart and soul today. Call on your Prince of Peace and He will come. Recognize Him, trust Him, walk with Him, even in the midst of the fire.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved--and that by God. Philippians 1:27-28
Dear Lord,
We thank you that whatever happens on this earth, good or evil, all believers in Christ have eternal salvation with you. Help us to stand firm "as one man" believing in this promise. You are the Victor over life, over death, over all. Amen.