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The Fiery Furnace – Daniel 3:14-23

27 Oct

The above image is from Revealed: A Storybook Bible for Grown-Ups by Ned Bustard. The image is called “Even If” and was created by Ned Bustard.

Daniel 3:13-23
Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up. ” Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

Dear God, before I get into the artwork that accompanies this story, I want to spend a little time with a revelation that I had. Christians/Jews in the Bible who were living in exile or under the rule of a non-Jewish/Christian king didn’t seem to complain about persecution. Whether it was Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in this story or Paul, Peter, or any of the other martyrs in the New Testament, they seem to take it in stride. Now, I’m sure they were scared and frustrated, but they seemingly dealt with that internally and with you. Externally, however, they just worshipped you through it.

Contrast that with how a lot of Christians respond to what they call “persecution of Christians” in our country today. First, I hardly think it can be called persecution in light of what real persecution looks like. But I hear a lot of whining about Christians being persecuted. Outside of the enforcement of the separation between church and state rules that have been set up, I’m not even totally sure what they’ve been referring to. And maybe I have only a limited picture because I live in the South where there are still large parts of the community that honor faith, but even so, whining is not how to be a witness for you. In this case, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego influenced the king by their faith in action, not by complaining to him that he was being unfair. Paul and Peter were the same way. Letting our faith shine in the midst of trials is what changes hearts. Complaining only makes others tune us out.

Okay, with that being said, let me take a look at this image created by Bustard and see what I see before I read his description.

  • You are overlooking Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego with your arms out wide and your hands open. Everything about you is outstretched and present.
  • Your eyes are focused on Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
  • The flames are very present. They have not been removed. The three of them had to go into the fire.
  • The three men are certainly given distinct looks and hair styles.
  • The one on the right with the curly hair seems to have a rye smile.
  • All three of the men are looking at us while you are focused on them.
  • The guard is dead and the fire had already skeletonized him.
  • The guard is holding a bellows, indicating that he was part of making the fire as hot as possible and he paid a priced for it.
    • He sacrificed his life out of obedience to a king/god that couldn’t save him from the fire that you saved Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from.
  • I just noticed a triangle behind your head. Is that a reference to the Trinity? If so, that’s a nice touch.

With that said, here is what Bustard said about his piece “Even If.”

The title for this piece comes from a different translation of the “But if not” protest against Nebuchadnezzar made by these three young men in this passage. And at the end of the passage above it looks like God will not save them. The poor Persian soldier on furnace duty that day lies on the ground, burned hallway to the bones by the incredible heat, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are doomed to be burned to death. But then the king was astonished to see four men unbound, walking  unhurt in the fire. God had chosen to save them. He protected them from the king, from the heat, and from death. The appearance of the fourth man in the fire represents a theophany–God revealing himself in human form before the incarnation. Other such appearances include Genesis 32:24-30 and Joshua 5:13-15.

Father, I will follow you “even if” you choose not to save me from earthly situations. I will follow you “even if” I am disappointed with how things that I for which I’m praying turn out. I will follow you “even if” I am angry with you. I will follow you “even if” the road is hard. Let “even if” be my mantra today. I have nothing to prove to anyone else. I am following you “even if” they can’t understand why. But with that said, let my life be an example to others of why, and draw others to yourself through what they see of you in me.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 27, 2019 in Daniel, Revealed: A Storybook Bible for Grown-Ups

 

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Ephesians 5:17-20

25 Oct

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:17-20

Dear God, I wouldn’t have thought of linking the concept of doing your will (verse 17) with being in joyful, worshipful community with others (verses 19 and 20), but it’s all part of the same paragraph.

One of the things I miss about going to a more contemporary church is that feeling (for me) like I’m joining my heart with others in worship of you. My wife is Catholic so I go to church with her. And there are people who get a lot out of that style because it is what fits their personality. When they read the liturgy with everyone there as well as with Catholics around the world, it creates a type of community for them. Because I grew up in a different type of church, I think my perspective on it is different. I miss singing songs that stir me alongside others. I miss being in small groups with challenging theological discussions. I miss vulnerably sharing with others.

Yes, I can see where good community is an important part of my ability to hear the Spirit and live in your wisdom and guidance. Father, help me to create that kind of community around me. Help me to do it at work. Help me to do it with friends. And help me to figure it out at church. I want it so that I can create good soil in my heart for your Holy Spirit to grow fruit that will glorify you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 25, 2019 in Ephesians

 

Galatians 6:2-3

23 Oct

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.
Galatians 6:2-3

Dear God, the actual verse of the day was the first half about sharing burdens. And that was nice. It’s a nice thought that I want to sit with. But when I read on, I just loved the end of verse 3: “You are not that important.”

After I read that, I wanted to see how the King James Version and a couple of others handled that translation. Here’s what I found:

For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
Galatians 6:3 KJV

For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
Galatians 6:3 NASB

If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.
Galatians 6:3 NIV

It’s interesting that the other three use the word “deceive” and that the NLT add the declarative, “You are not that important,” at the end. I don’t know. Perhaps I’ve chased a pointless rabbit here, but it’s also a reminder that the translation I read can certainly make subtle differences in how I myself interpret your Word.

That being said, it’s time to think about helping others. I’ll confess to you that I’m pretty helpful, but I’ve definitely drawn lines. I was talking to a friend yesterday morning about something she is willing to do to serve others through Rotary that I’m not willing to do. It would be too much of an inconvenience for me. Not that you call me to do everything. I can’t. That’s why you made us part of the body. We all have our own gifts and our own calls. It’s just that I probably need to be sure that I’m willing to hear and respond to your still small voice instead of drawing lines in the sand that predetermine what I’m willing to do and not willing to do.

In that spirit, I also need to not judge others when they aren’t called to do what I do. I need to give the grace to follow the path that you have for them and then to figure out their own resistance to you without putting my own values or even “call” onto them.

Father, when it comes down to it, I just need to live you with all my heart, soul, and strength and then love my neighbor as myself. Those are, after all, the greatest commandments. Show me how to do that today.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 23, 2019 in Galatians

 

Proverbs 15:22

22 Oct

Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.
Proverbs 15:22

Dear God, this is a great reminder for me during board meeting week. I have two committee meetings today and will have a board meeting in the morning. This is especially appropriate since we are finalizing to 2020 budget. There are going to be a lot of thoughts and ideas over the next couple of days and there will be a lot to sift through.

My problem tends to be that I tend to lean more conservative and controlled. I like to build something that will kind of run on its own and just have to be maintained and tinkered with rather than look at pushing out and breaking through the edges of the envelope. I suppose that push/pull will always be there with any organization. I just need to learn to open my heart and mind, and then listen for your still, small voice to guide me.

Father, give me great discernment today. Give it to all of us. Help me to embrace the ideas brought to the table and celebrate the fact that so many are interested in the work we do. Help me to also be a part of bringing your joy to all of those involved through their participation in loving our clients through our work.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 22, 2019 in Proverbs

 

Romans 4:20-22

21 Oct

Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.
Romans 4:20-22

Dear God, this passage makes me think of something we discussed in our church group yesterday. We read the parable of the woman who petitioned the unjust judge until he finally relented. Jesus compared that with you and how much more just you will be with us because you are good. (Luke 18:1-8) so we talked about the effect our prayers have on you. Do they change your decisions? If I pray for someone’s health, does it move the needle for how or if you will intervene? What about praying for my children? It’s the age old question: Do I pray because it changes you or because it changes me?

I think that’s where this faith that Paul refers to with Abraham comes in. I’m going to bring my concerns to you. Yes, sometimes it will have to do with someone’s health or their life circumstances. Sometimes it will be around my work, my community, nation or world. But there’s something in the secret sauce of prayer that develops faith. It’s the part of prayer that changes me. Through these prayers you teach me to let go of my own agenda and, over the years, you hone them down into faith-developing experiences. It’s hard to explain, but I’ve certainly felt it in my life.

Father, I guess I’ll close with a paraphrase of this little chorus. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 21, 2019 in Romans

 

“Something Just Like This” by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay

20 Oct

“Something Just Like This” by The Chainsmokers And Coldplay

I’ve been reading books of old
The legends and the myths
Achilles and his gold
Hercules and his gifts
Spiderman’s control
And Batman with his fists
And clearly I don’t see myself upon that list

But she said, where’d you wanna go?
How much you wanna risk?
I’m not looking for somebody
With some superhuman gifts
Some superhero
Some fairytale bliss
Just something I can turn to
Somebody I can kiss

I want something just like this
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Oh, I want something just like this
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Oh, I want something just like this
I want something just like this

I’ve been reading books of old
The legends and the myths
The testaments they told
The moon and its eclipse
And Superman unrolls
A suit before he lifts
But I’m not the kind of person that it fits

She said, where’d you wanna go?
How much you wanna risk?
I’m not looking for somebody
With some superhuman gifts
Some superhero
Some fairytale bliss
Just something I can turn to
Somebody I can miss

I want something just like this
I want something just like this
I want something just like this
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Oh, I want something just like this
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo

Where’d you wanna go?
How much you wanna risk?
I’m not looking for somebody
With some superhuman gifts
Some superhero
Some fairytale bliss
Just something I can turn to
Somebody I can kiss

I want something just like this
Oh, I want something just like this
Oh, I want something just like this
Oh, I want something just like this

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Andrew Taggart / Guy Berryman / Chris Martin / Jonny Buckland / Will Champion

Dear God, I was listening to this song yesterday and I thought there might be something deeply profound in it to explore. I guess the thesis of my thoughts on it is that, maybe especially guys, want to do something great and even heroic, but the pursuit of that can create a lot of problems.

I guess the first question would be to ask why we love superheroes so much. And it goes back beyond Marvel and DC Comics. Look at Norse or Greek Mythology. People have always created something greater than humans to look to for hope. I think it’s probably the search for you. You’re there. We inherently know that our God is out there. Thankfully, you revealed yourself through Abraham and eventually Jesus so that we could start to figure out our roles in the world and your kingdom.

Now I recognize that a secular person reading this would accuse me of doing the same thing with you that the Greeks did with Zeus and the other Greek gods–fabricating something that’s unreal to believe in. But I’d argue back that the built in hunger for a God throughout humanity’s history points to your existence. But I don’t want to get sidetracked with this. Suffice it to say, I hear that criticism and I understand that that’s how it looks to some.

I think the main message that I take from this song is that I don’t need to try so hard to do something amazing. That’s not what the people around me need from me. That’s not what you need from me. You just need me to show up, keep grinding, and be faithful. That’s what the people in my life need too. If I were always trying to look for my fulfillment and purpose somewhere out there, I can see my wife saying the words of the chorus of this song:

Where’d you wanna go? How much you wanna risk? I’m not looking for somebody
With some superhuman gifts; some superhero, some fairytale bliss. Just something I can turn to, somebody I can kiss. I want something just like this.

Father, I think that’s where we are most valuable to you. Just in the simple things. Showing up to pray to you. To study your Word. To love our spouses, parent our children, and be your presence to those in our path. To make a difference here and there, making the earth, or at least one small piece of it, better than we found it, but through simple obedience and not the pursuit of self-aggrandizement. Help me to be all of those things for your glory’s sake and my peace.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 20, 2019 in Hymns and Songs

 

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“Deep Dive” by Fred Smith

18 Oct

Please take a moment to read this blog post by Fred Smith before reading my prayer below.

Dear God, reading this blog yesterday morning gave me a lot to think about. It came out on a Thursday morning, and on Wednesdays I meet with a sixth-grade boy in a mentoring program at the local middle school. The boy has some particularly difficult circumstances and I’ll confess that I’ve wondered if I’m doing him any good at all. We get about half an hour a week together and I’ve been talking with him a little while he eats and then playing ping pong with him. I have no idea how he sees our time together, and I’ve been trying to think through if I need to do anything different. Then I read this blog post and it helped me a little. I even sent the link to the leadership of the mentoring program so they could see it too.

So what did I get out of it? I really liked how Fred Smith focused on the depth of character that anchors you in an upright position. It’s the first step to address before you start working about where you are going or how you’re going to get there. Do you have that character to anchor you in an upright position first?

It reminds me of the CPR class I took. When someone is in trauma they told you to remember A-B-C: Airway, Breathing, and Cardiovascular. Is the airway clear? Are they able to breathe? Is their heart pumping? In that order. The leg that is broken and pointed in the wrong direction is unimportant in that moment. First, A-B-C. I think that concept can be applied to this. As his mentor, my first concern should be how I can influence his keel. I don’t need to focus on how he’s doing in his classes or what he wants to be when he grows up. I mean, sure, those are things for us to discuss, but if I don’t spend some time purposefully talking about character things with him then I will be missing the point.

Father, help me to be what you need me to be for him. Now that you’ve given me this insight, help me to seek out people who can teach me how to do it. Show me exactly what you need for me to do for this boy. Do it all for your glory, sweet Jesus, so that he might be a reflection of you and experience your love, joy, and peace.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 18, 2019 in Miscellaneous, Musings and Stories

 

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Psalm 19:12-14

16 Oct

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:12-14

Dear God, “the sins lurking in my heart.” I have them. We all do. Mine usually come back to some sort of selfishness or insecurity. They become about what I want. I want love, admiration, leisure, etc.; and then I let myself act in a way that will get me those things.

The irony is that the more I do the things that I think will get me what I want, the less appealing I am as a person. People don’t like needy people. You can’t get love by asking for love. You can’t earn admiration by seeking to be admired. And you can’t get fulfillment through leisure. On the contrary. When I selflessly give love is when people are more likely to return it (only if it’s not demanded or done on a quid pro pro basis). When I humbly serve without needing anything in return is when people are more interested in following my example. When I am generous and sympathetic to someone instead of badmouthing and judging them is when people will see something in me that is comfortable in my own skin.

Father, I suppose the best way to know all of the sins lurking in my heart is to, every day, clean house by fertilizing the fruit of the Holy Spirit in my life and then letting that fruit crowd out the weeds and thorns of the sin that binds me. So fill me with love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, goodness, and self control. Let them completely envelop my life so that the sin is crowded out. Only the Holy Spirit can get me there.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 16, 2019 in Psalms

 

2 Samuel 7:1-13

15 Oct

When King David was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies, the king summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!” Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.” But that same night the Lord said to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’ “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. “‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne.
2 Samuel 7:1-13

Dear God, there are times when our hearts are in the right places and what we are wanting to do seems wise, but we are still wrong and not within your plan. This story is a good example. David wanted to worship you through building a temple for the Ark. To some extent, he felt like he was putting himself before you by living in his own palace while the Ark lived in a tent. He ran it by Nathan who thought David’s idea for building a temple was on the right track. And then you let them know that you were looking bigger picture than they were. You seemed to appreciate their hearts and the way they were thinking, but you simply stopped them and told them it wasn’t time yet.

I wonder what unforeseen complications building the temple would have had on David and his kingdom. Would it have distracted him from something important that you knew he would need to focus on? Who knows, but you?

I read someone one say one time that there was a time in their life where they were 100% certain they had heard your call and followed you. They felt completely within your will. At that point, feeling that way, they were afraid “to cross the street” if it meant being outside of your will.

I have felt that way before. I suppose I feel that way now. I have a board committee meeting later today and we will be making plans for 2020 and even 2021. How do we stay within your will? How do I stay within your will as I parent my adult children and love my wife?

Father, protect my path and make it straight. Guide me. Guide me with your Spirit. Guide me with the wise counsel of others. Help me to recognize your voice through them when I hear it. Make my life exactly what you need it to be for your glory’s sake and not my own.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 15, 2019 in 2 Samuel

 

Romans 12:2

14 Oct

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Romans 12:2

Dear God, it can be hard to know how to stand out for you in a secular world while still not coming across as judgmental or holier than thou. I’m in a play at our community theater right now with 12 other men and I’ve had some opportunities to differentiate myself a little.

Mainly, I guess, there was one where I felt the need to stand up for you. The topic was the lines in the script that take your name in vain. Because we live in a conservative area, the theater director had already decided to take them out of the script and replace them with something else. The conversation among the cast was around whether that was a silly overreaction. My contribution to the conversation was that I can hear those words and not be offended, but if I were the actor assigned those lines I would ask that they be changed because I can’t say them.

Fast forward to Friday evening. Backstage, one of the older men in the cast asked me individually if he told a joke about a boy praying, would I be offended. My answer was, “I don’t know. Is the joke offensive?” I thought it was interesting though that he asked me that question. Did my “Lord’s name in vain” comment register that much or are there other things I’ve done to differentiate my world view from others? And the question that really concerns me is whether or not I’ve gone too far and, in the end, not represented you well.

Father, I want to be true to you and as salty in the world as I can be. Help me to do this. And on a side note, I have something tricky I have to do at work today. Help me to do it well.

In Jesus’s name (precious name) I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 14, 2019 in Romans

 
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