Sometimes when people ask me what I do for a living, I'd like to answer, "Firefighter."
At times, it feels like an accurate description of my workday. And besides--firefighters are just plain cool--and hot at the same time. :)
Do I fight actual fires? Only on my BBQ grill.
Am I under life-threatening pressure? Not exactly.
However, I think Daniel, Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego could have described their lives as firefighters...and not just because of the incident described in today's passage about the latter three standing in a fiery furnace.
These guys were superhero-cool. They had courage to stand in the fire literally, but also to put their lives on the line for God. They were smart. They were strong. They were leaders...even while they were held captive in another country.
What qualities helped them stand in the fire--both literally and as the minority God-fearing group of four faced with massive obstacles?
Bold faith. Conviction. A lot of prayer! Commitment to honor God. Courage. God's miraculous power. Vision.
With God's help, you and I can develop the same characteristics as these four famous firefighters. We face fires in our everyday lives--at work, home and even at church. One thing that's interesting about fire? It can destroy or refine things, depending on what they're made of. Fire destroys buildings, paper and trees--but it refines and purifies precious metals. The fires of our lives are like that--they can damage and destroy us or make us better.
Can you handle the heat?
Tomorrow: Daniel 4-6
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