I want to take the time out right about now to say that God is awesome. He is extravagant. He is great and mighty. He is omnipotent (meaning He can do ALL THINGS), He is Alpha (MY beginning) and Omega (MY end). He is the one who holds all things together. ALL THINGS. Every part of my body, is connected not only because of the scientific constructions, not only because of the the oxygen that I breath in everyday, but because BY HIM all things consist. In HIM, I live, and move and I have my being. Because of Him, I woke up this morning and because of Him, I will lie down tonight in perfect peace. My God IS stronger, He IS greater, He IS higher than any other. He is mighty. And He knows my name.
Ok… now that we got that out of the way…
You may recall hearing about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The account is actually taken out of the Book of Daniel. Well as I was meditating this morning (amidst getting some rather silly news- this is why you don’t answer your phone until you’ve done your devotions), I read Daniel chapter 3. In this Chapter, Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue and declared that everybody should bow before it. Well, he had previously appointed Shadrach and Co. as governors of the province, but a report came that they said that these three men would not bow. Nebu went into a range. “Say what now? Won’t bow. Bring them to me!” When the three men of God were brought to him, he said he would give them one more chance to bow. This was their response:
“O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”.
There was a very interesting turn of events afterwards (and if you really want to know, I suggest you read the chapter 
) But it was the words highlighted in bold that caught my attention. These homeboys said: the God whom we serve will save us. But EVEN IF he doesn’t…
As I said earlier, I got some really ? news today about an application I sent in a while ago. I recently applied for something and I have been waiting to hear the result of this application for at least a month. And i kept wondering what the hold up was. I decided to call the person through which I sent it, only to find out in the sweet by and by, that I needed to send the application in another way. The deadline has since passed and so there is no way I can now resend the document. So it was a futile waste of my time. I sat on my bed thinking “Lord you know that I really thought I had this thing. It was fool proof…. and now this one little mistake which I really can’t say was my own fault because I wasn’t told, may have stopped me from getting this?”
When I read this passage of scripture, the Lord ministered something to me. My hope is built on God. He is stronger and higher than any other and He knows exactly what I need and when I need it. Even if He doesn’t come through with what I think I need, I will not lose my faith and trust in Him.
How many times have you been faced with disappointments? Things that don’t work out the way you asked Him to work it out?
In those times we need to understand that the God we serve…that we call Abba, is more than able to save us. And even if He doesn’t…we will not lose hope. We won’t give up on what we have believed in. We won’t give up on the God that heals, that provides, that covers, that defends. Delay does not mean denial. And denial here does not mean denial there. If one door closes, God’s got many other doors that He can open up. Even if it’s our own fault, we repent and He will open up another opportunity. He will rescue us!
The end result of His love for us can be exemplified by the end of story of Shadrach and co. They were tossed into the fire…a fire seven times hotter. But even when they should have been dead on contact… Nebuchadnezzar himself saw God get the glory. Because a fourth man appeared in the fire and He delivered them out of the fire.
