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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
You shall teach (these words of mine) to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 11:19
Dear Lord,
Please help us to make it our ambition to teach our children all the wonders of who you are. Because of our commitment and your grace, may our little ones grow up knowing and believing in your word so that they can walk confidently into a lost world. In Jesus' Name, Amen.