Daniel 3:14-18
14 Nebuchadnezzar asked them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don’t serve my gods or worship the gold statue I have set up? 15 Now if you’re ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music, fall down and worship the statue I made. But if you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire—and who is the god who can rescue you from my power?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. 17 If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king. 18 But even if He does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”
This is simply jaw-dropping to me! I have read this passage multiple times; yet, it means so much more at this present moment in my life – FAITH! Not only did these men exhibit the utmost faith in believing while not seeing but they also demonstrated something that most of us long for our entire lives- obedience by acknowledging God is ultimately in control. We hear too many stories in the media and in our current culture of how God “didn’t show up” when in fact He was in charge and in control the whole time. I am afraid to say that we have assigned God’s job description for Him instead of the other way around. We sadly blame Him when He doesn’t meet our expectations especially when it comes to waiting on His voice or rescuing us!
Isaiah 55:8-9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.”
This is the Lord’s declaration. 9 “For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
These men demonstrated the “even if” better than most!
Even if God doesn’t rescue us, He is still worthy!
Even if God doesn’t rescue, He is still in charge!
Even if God doesn’t rescue, He is omniscient!
Even if God doesn’t rescue, He is not wrong!
Even if God doesn’t rescue, He is still sovereign!
Even if God doesn’t rescue, He didn’t fail!
Even if God doesn’t rescue, He still loves!
Why?…because He didn’t rescue His own Son, Jesus, from death to save you all along!
Thankful,
Christian Armetta
My Deliverer 
Wow! Wow! Wow!
Blessed be the Lord God Almighty; who was, and is, and is to come! Bless His Holy Name!!!
While God may not choose to rescue us from our “momentary” and “light afflictions,” He has chosen by His mercy and His grace, to rescue us from these for eternity!
I think, if I had to choose, I would rather suffer now in this temporary life and look forward to the promise of eternal life with Him suffer-free!!!
It has to be apparent, or rather should be apparent, that the Hebrew boys were not focused on the “now!” They had the minds on the eternal Father!!!
In 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18 the Apostle Paul said it best…”We do not lose heart. Even if our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Additionally, David says in Psalms 27:13, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”
The key to enduring is to keep our eyes on Jesus, “the author and the finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him ENDURED the cross…For consider Him (think about/ponder Jesus) who ENDURED such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.” Hebrews 12: 2-4
Even if, I have never and will never go thru what Jesus did; however, like Jesus and because of Jesus, I am made more than a conqueror!!! 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽
Praise the Lord! Thank You JESUS!!!
Blessings to you,
Rita
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Such strength and beauty in those words!! Human words will never be able to express the deep gifting God has given you to preach His message to the world!
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Always loved this group of scripture. Martin Luther King had a sermon once about the “If Christian”. Which talks about being a Christian despite the fact that times get rough or tribulations arise.
God truly is in control and he knows what and when and how things will happen. Man does try to limit God’s abilities which is sad. May we always remember that God is in conrol and give him the honor and glory despite what comes against us.
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Beautifully said. Thank you for sharing!
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