The earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever.
Isaiah 51:6

Like Flies

Daily Devotion – November 26 ,2024

Devotion based on Isaiah 51:6

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Care for a few factoids about common flies? Here goes…

#1. A common housefly can lay 500 eggs every 3–4 days.
#2. Flies taste with their feet.
#3. Flies do not chew. Instead, they excrete an enzyme that liquefies their food so they can drink it.
#4. Flies are vital for breaking down carcasses and turning them into fertilizer for our soil.
#5. Forensic investigators often depend on the predictable work of flies to determine the time of death at crime scenes.
#6. Thank the fly for your chocolate, for it is flies that pollinate the cocoa tree.
And a 7th and final factoid about flies? The average lifespan of a common fly is twenty-eight days.

Twenty-eight days. That’s less than a month. If one were looking for a creature that symbolizes the shortness of life in this fallen world, it would be hard to find one better than the common fly.

It’s no accident, therefore, that the Lord, through the prophet Isaiah, used the lifespan of flies to emphasize that our time on this earth is short. Everything that’s part of this world—everything we buy, drive, wear, collect, and pursue for amusement—breaks, wears out, and dies, including you and me.

Thankfully, Jesus entered this broken, temporary, sin-filled world and confronted the very thing that makes you and me pass away like flies. He confronted our sin. As our substitute, Jesus fulfilled the standards of sinlessness that a holy, eternal God demands. On our behalf, he endured the horror of eternal death on the cross to wash away our every sinful stain. Then, to assure us that eternal life is ours through faith in him, he raised himself back to life.

The result? The next time a common fly lands on your sleeve, remember all the things that are so temporary in this life. But Jesus is not. His promises are not. And now, in him, you and I are not either.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you are eternal. This sinful world is not. Move me to remain in you. Amen.

[Jesus said] “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.”
Mark 13:32,33

Surprise

Daily Devotion – November 24, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 13:32,33

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Surprises break the monotony of the mundane. Surprises often please us. If our experience with surprises has been good in the past, we most likely look forward to having more of them. Of course, there are no surprises for God. He knows all things before they happen. He even knows when the end of the world will take place.

But while God is never surprised, he has given us reason to be, and pleasantly so. When our first parents—Adam and Eve—sinned, they broke the bond of a loving, trusting relationship with God. That brought physical death into the world. The result was eternal separation from God. But surprise! Instead of condemning them to hell, God immediately told Adam and Eve that he would send a savior to reestablish that relationship with himself.

Again, we’re surprised by the way Jesus came to this earth—as a lowly, humble human being. (Yes, he’s truly God, but he is also truly human.) Jesus kept God’s laws, the laws that we have broken. He was perfect! So, we’re again surprised when we see that Jesus had to suffer and die. Why did he do so? Because he was taking our sins on himself and paying the full price for them. So, through Jesus, our relationship to God has been repaired. And really, that is no surprise; it fulfills what God told Adam and Eve.

So, there will be no real surprises when Jesus returns. He’ll come back and take his believers to live forever with him. We do not need to worry about that whatsoever. The only unknown is when it will take place. That is God’s final and wonderful surprise.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you that because of what you have done to save me from my sins I do not need to fear the day this world comes to an end. Help me to be ready for that day, whenever it may come. Amen.

“But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.”
Daniel 12:1,2

The Book of Life

Daily Devotion – November 22, 2024

Devotion based on Daniel 12:1,2

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Picture the scene. A courtroom with a judge and jury. A gallery full of people. The prosecutor armed with damning evidence. And a defendant who knows his guilt. The prosecutor has a book full of the wicked things the defendant has done. With a smirk on his face, he begins to open his book. He can’t wait to tell everyone the terrible things written on the pages.

But before that prosecutor can speak, the judge pulls out his own book. He silences the prosecutor before he utters a word. This book isn’t full of deeds. Instead, it’s full of names. He looks at you with a smile, and he reads your name.

This book is like God’s family register. It’s his book of life. All it contains is names, not deeds. All believers in Jesus have their names written in the book of life. They are not acquitted because of the things they’ve done. Instead, their names are written in this book by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ.

God does speak of another type of book. And this book does have deeds written in it. These are the sins of those who reject Jesus as their Lord and Savior. They will be condemned because of their works. They are without excuse. God has the evidence. He does not make his judgment arbitrarily or unfairly. A summary of all those sins could simply read, “Rejected God’s love and salvation.” That is ultimately what leads to “shame and everlasting contempt.”

But those who trust in Jesus as their Savior can be assured that deliverance is certain. Their names are written in the book of life. No matter how dark the world may feel, they belong to a kingdom that cannot be shaken. God is in control, and his kingdom will ultimately reign.

Prayer:
Dear God, it is by grace alone that you record names in your book of life. Help me to always trust in you and the grace you show through Jesus. Amen.

Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:27,28

Our Time of Grace

Daily Devotion – November 20, 2024

Devotion based on Hebrews 9:27,28

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No one can escape death. And just as certain as death is the judgment that will come after it. That can be a terrifying thought. No one likes to face judgment.

The thought of being judged at the end of our life for all the things that we have done and have not done sounds excruciatingly painful. We don’t want anyone to judge our life and see the terrible things we’ve done or hear the awful things we’ve said.

The standard of judgment is not about being pretty good or mostly good. It’s not about being better than others. It’s not even about getting better and better as life goes on. No, God’s standard of judgment is perfection. Either you are perfect, or you are not.

Since no one can live up to that standard, God made a plan. His Son, Jesus Christ, came into the world and lived perfectly. He kept every standard God set. He never failed or faltered. He is perfect. More than that, Jesus faced God’s judgment for sin on the cross. His sacrifice satisfied the wrath of God for humanity’s imperfection and sin.

Now, God gives people an opportunity during their life to hear this good news called the gospel. He wants all people to believe that Jesus is their Savior and to receive the forgiveness that Christ offers. God gives each of us a time of grace to put our trust in him, acknowledging that his sacrifice is sufficient so that we can live in the assurance of sins forgiven.

Everyone who puts their faith in Jesus will not have to fear death and judgment. God will judge believers based on the works of Jesus and his perfection. When Jesus comes again, he will bring salvation to all waiting for him.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for enduring judgment in my place. Help me to trust in your finished work and eagerly wait for your second coming. Amen.

[Jesus said] “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.”
John 5:28,29

All Will Rise

Daily Devotion – November 18, 2024

Devotion based on John 5:28,29

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There is a large cemetery near where I live. From the road, you can see headstones for what looks like miles. Driving into the cemetery, you are surrounded by graves. Rows and rows of plots and places where the dead sleep, entombed in a coffin, covered by six feet of dirt.

Every time I accompany families to that cemetery for the burial of a loved one, I have the privilege of assuring them this will not be their loved one’s final resting place. It doesn’t matter how well the coffin is sealed or how much dirt is on top of it. It doesn’t even matter what condition the body is in. That body, that person, will rise when Jesus comes.

Jesus makes it clear that all people will rise when they hear his voice at his second coming. Cemeteries, tombs, and mausoleums will burst open with the once dead who are alive again. No grave will have the power to hold onto its corpses.

At that time, Jesus declares that those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. But who can do good when God defines good as perfection? No one is perfect except for Jesus. But, God promises to credit Jesus’ perfection to all who believe in Jesus as their Savior. Those who believe in Jesus as their Savior rise to eternal glory; those who do not believe rise to eternal condemnation.

All the dead will rise at Jesus’ voice on the Last Day, but believers rise from spiritual death at the voice of Jesus in the gospel. During this life, he invites you to come to him for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. He beckons you with his gentle voice to find your rest in him.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me to hear and listen to your voice so that I may rest forever with you. Amen.

In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
2 Corinthians 8:2

Fly

Daily Devotion – November 16, 2024

Devotion based on 2 Corinthians 8:2

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In his book Run with the Horses, author Eugene Peterson describes what he once saw on the shore of a lake. Three young swallows were sitting on a dead branch that stretched out over the water. As Peterson watched, an adult swallow got alongside the chicks and began shoving each one off the branch. The one on the end of the branch fell first. But before it hit the water, its wings came to life, and away it flew. The same thing happened with the next young swallow. The third chick, however, was stubborn. No matter how hard the adult swallow shoved, the chick hung on for dear life. Even when it fell forward and was hanging upside down, the young swallow refused to let go. Finally, the adult began pecking at the little one’s feet until it was too painful to hold on. The chick released its grip and began to fall. And then it started to fly. It finally began to do what it was meant to do.

God calls upon us to be generous givers and lavish in giving to others what he has given to us. But often, you and I can be like that third chick. Whether out of fear, doubt, or stubbornness, it’s easy to cling to what is familiar and hold on to what we think will give us security. But if we are forever clutching the things God intends for us to share—we will always be like a sad, terrified bird clinging for dear life to a dead branch. We will never know the joy of true generosity. We will never fly.

Oh, how vitally important Jesus is for us! He came to this earth and lived a life of unbridled generosity on our behalf. He lives to give us the power to live for him. When necessary, he will shove us off our branch to do so and allow pain and trouble to disrupt our sleepy comfort. And it is often during those unpleasant periods of freefall that Jesus will re-teach us the sweet joy of a generous life. He will refresh us and spread our wings of generosity. And we will fly.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, cleanse me of the many ways I have given in to my selfish impulses. Refresh me with your Spirit. Spread my wings of generosity. Empower me to fly. Amen.

For I testify that [the Macedonian churches] gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people.
2 Corinthians 8:3,4

Startling Generosity Flows from Gratitude

Daily Devotion – November 14, 2024

Devotion based on 2 Corinthians 8:3,4

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Renowned Christian minister John Wesly famously said, “The last part of a man to be converted is his wallet.” He said this because even veteran believers find it difficult to use their money to serve God.

With that in mind, did you catch what today’s Bible passage said? The poor Christians in Macedonia begged the apostle Paul for an opportunity to open their wallets and give. How’s that for startling generosity?

Paul was collecting an offering for the Christians in Jerusalem. And even though the believers in Macedonia had never met their brothers and sisters in that faraway city, they pleaded with Paul for the privilege of supporting them.

Why? Because they didn’t view giving as a burden, but as a privilege. God was doing them a favor by laying this opportunity in front of them. After all, startling generosity is one of the characteristics of God’s people, and participating in the offering lets them show it. Despite their own poverty, they willingly gave far beyond what Paul expected. They recognized that their gifts could help relieve the suffering of fellow believers. Their eagerness to give came from a deep gratitude for what they had received from God.

This dynamic relationship between gratitude and generosity is essential. Like the Macedonians, everything you have is a gift from God. When you struggle to be generous, reflect on the blessings God has given you.

He gave you your body and soul, your mind, and all your abilities, not to mention every other material blessing you cherish. He gave you his only Son, who saved you from sin, death, and the devil and who secured your heavenly home. Then he sent you his Holy Spirit to give you saving faith and keep you in that faith.

The more you reflect on God’s blessings, the more grateful you become. And while you may not be begging for a chance to give, you will generously serve God.

Prayer:
Gracious Lord, help me to cultivate a heart of gratitude that overflows into generosity to those around me. Amen.

She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.
1 Kings 17:15,16

Startling Generosity is Confident

Daily Devotion – November 12, 2024

Devotion based on 1 Kings 17:15,16

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The drought had been severe for a while now. The fields were parched, and the rivers were dry. She was a poor widow who had enough flour and oil to feed herself and her young son one last time. She was by the town gate, gathering sticks to bake her final meal, when the Prophet Elijah approached her with an outrageous request: “Bring me, please, a piece of bread” (1 Kings 17:11).

Now, she was not one of God’s people—she was a Gentile, not an Israelite. Moreover, she barely had enough food for her family, let alone a stranger. But Elijah had something to offer her – a promise from God: “The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD sends rain on the land” (1 Kings 17:14).

She could have done the sensible thing and said no. But instead, she did what Elijah had asked. Her startling generosity showed her confidence in the Lord’s promise. Imagine her joy when there was enough flour and oil to feed Elijah, herself, and her son! And not just that day, but every day afterward until the drought was over.

It all happened just as the Lord had said. And that’s a key to startling generosity: the Word of God. God’s Word created the universe, and that same Word sustains it. So, when the Word of the Lord promises to give you your daily bread, you can be confident that he will keep that promise.

Moreover, you can also be generous, trusting God to meet your needs, even in ways you don’t expect. He wants to use you to help others in unexpected ways. The Bible says, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25).

Prayer:
Gracious Lord, thank you for promising to provide all that I need to keep my body and life. Help me to trust that promise as I seek to be generous to others. Amen.

You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9

Rich

Daily Devotion – November 10, 2024

Devotion based on 2 Corinthians 8:9

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Do you feel rich? An economist by the name of Robert Heilbroner once challenged people to imagine doing the following. Move your family into a building the size of an old tool shed. Have no electricity, no running water, no bathroom. Get rid of all your clothes except for one set. Keep one pair of shoes. Destroy all written material. Toss out all food except for some flour, sugar and salt, a few potatoes, some onions and dried beans. Throw away all your investments, pensions and insurance policies. Reduce your savings to ten dollars. Live about a three-hour walk away from the nearest clinic. And support your entire family raising crops on a few acres of land. Give a third of your crops to your landlord and a tenth of your crops to your money lender.

If you do that, says Robert Heilbroner, then you’ll know how over a billion people are living in the world right now. And then, perhaps, you’ll realize how rich you really are.

Now imagine something else. The world you live in is dark, cynical, and senseless. If there is a God, you haven’t met him. If there is some grand reason for living, you don’t know it. And so you go to work, come home, cash your paycheck on payday, get groceries, watch TV, catch up with the laundry on weekends, take in a ballgame with friends, discuss current events, pursue a hobby, vacation during the summer, go to the dentist, go to the doctor, feel your body getting old, put in for retirement, mow your lawn and weed your garden, watch your life get slower and smaller. And then you wait to die—empty, puzzled and frightened.

If you can imagine that, then you can imagine life without Jesus, life without the forgiveness, peace, joy, security, purpose and certainty of heaven that are yours in your Savior. And then, you, too, can realize how rich you really are.

Prayer:
Forgive me, Lord Jesus, for all the times I have forgotten how rich I am in you. Empower me by your Spirit. Help me to see what I have with fresh insight. Amen.

[Jesus said] “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:30,31

Good Enough

Daily Devotion – November 8, 2024

Devotion based on Mark 12:30,31

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It can be easy to believe that we are good enough for heaven all on our own. One might think: ‘I haven’t killed anyone or stolen anything, and I haven’t cheated on my spouse. I’m doing just fine. God will take me to heaven because I have kept most of his commandments and have not broken the big ones.’

God has certainly commanded us not to kill, steal, or commit adultery, but Jesus says the commandment to love others is even greater than these. And there certainly have been plenty of times we have failed to keep this commandment. We maybe didn’t kill anyone, but perhaps we also failed to help a person in need. It might be that we never stole from anyone, but it could likely be that we were resentful toward them and their prosperity. And even though we may never have physically cheated on our spouse, how often did we fail to be there for them when they needed us? God’s command to love goes further than simply to avoid harming someone else. It means to always seek the good of the other person.

The commandment to love our neighbor involves more than we realize. But Jesus doesn’t refer to it as a greater commandment because of all the ways it can be broken. Rather, he has in mind how loving each other is a reflection of the love God showed us in sending Jesus. God has loved us like no other ever could. He willingly sacrificed his own Son for the well-being of others. He gave up what was most precious to him so we could be saved from our sin. For all the times we have failed to love others, Jesus bled and died to remove those sins from us. In love, he has set us free forever.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for loving me enough to die in my place that I might be forgiven. Move me today to honor you by loving others. Amen.

Love the Lord your God with . . . all your strength.
Deuteronomy 6:5

All Our Strength

Daily Devotion – November 6, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 6:5

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Who gets our best effort? Who in our lives gets our all? It isn’t always our boss, as we spend valuable minutes of our workday checking Facebook or managing our fantasy football teams. It also isn’t always our kids as we half-heartedly play catch in the backyard while talking on the phone with a client. And it certainly isn’t always our spouse when we can’t even look up from our screen while they tell us about their day.

In our Bible reading today, we find God demanding one thing from us: “Love the Lord your God with all your strength.” But there are some days that we barely have the strength to get out of bed, let alone serve or worship God. Many days, we hardly have enough time to enjoy our hobbies, let alone study the Bible. We all have limited strength, and often, God does not get all of it—even when we try to give our best effort. So often, we lack the strength required to love and serve our God.

When we fall short, we look to the One who did not. Jesus gave every ounce of strength he had in his service to God. It took strength that you and I can only imagine as he endured the flogging and ridicule that came his way. He dug deep and found the strength to carry that cross up the hill, knowing his enemies would nail him to it. Jesus found the strength to stay on the cross and suffer and die even though he had not done anything wrong. Jesus’ love for God and for you and me was so strong that he gave his life in our place.

Then, his strength was on full display as he rose from the dead, forever defeating death for us.

So, the next time you are lacking strength in your life of faith, look to Jesus. The One who lived and died for you will give you renewed strength to love the Lord and serve him in your life.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, you are my strength when I am weak. Lift me up today and give me strength to serve God. Amen.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart.
Deuteronomy 6:5

All Your Heart

Daily Devotion – November 4, 2024

Devotion based on Deuteronomy 6:5

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By now, everyone is likely familiar with the show, The Bachelor. The show has several other versions at this point, but the premise is always the same. The contestant dates a few dozen individuals simultaneously and gradually whittles that number down to the one person they hope to spend the rest of their lives with. It often happens that the individual will find themselves in love with multiple people. To many of us, that seems unrealistic. How can you fall in love with numerous people at the same time?

The truth is, while we are not likely to be candidates for that TV show, we all have hearts that are hopelessly divided. So many things in life demand our love and attention. In fact, our hearts have trouble settling on one thing to love. We throw our hearts at one thing one day, only to find a new target for our love the next.

It begs the question: how much room in our hearts is left for God? Does he get all of our hearts? Truthfully, we love far too many other things more than we love God. It seems that when God asks us to love him with all our hearts, he is asking the impossible.

Impossible for us, yes. But not impossible for Jesus. Jesus loved God with all his heart all the time. He proved it once and for all by obeying his Father’s will and dying on the cross to pay for the sins of the world. He didn’t even love his own life more than he loved God. He lived and died so that we could have forgiveness for the times when we failed to love God. Jesus did this all out of love for us, too.

None of the other things we give our hearts to in this world can do what Jesus has done for us. He has forgiven our sins and earned a place in heaven for us. In view of these wonderful things, give your whole heart to God.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, you loved God with all your heart and now I am saved. Help me to love God with all my heart today. Amen.

Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people.
Revelation 14:6

The Eternal Gospel

Daily Devotion – November 2, 2024

Devotion based on Revelation 14:6

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If you drive to your nearest major airport and fly to Tel Aviv in Israel, and from there, take a bus to the city of Hebron, you can see a massive, ancient building erected over the tomb of Abraham. Abraham has been dead for about 4,000 years.

From Israel, if you fly to Leonardo da Vinci Airport near Rome, and take a cab into the city, you can see the sarcophagus believed to contain the bones of the apostle Paul. Paul has been dead for about 2,000 years.

From Italy, if you fly to Frankfurt in Germany, then drive 4½ hours to Wittenberg, you can enter the Castle Church and walk right up to the grave of Martin Luther. Luther has been dead for about 450 years.

Three different men, separated by centuries, separated by culture, separated by life experience. Each man lived and died in his own time, never personally knowing the other two.

However, there is one thing they held in common. They all proclaimed the eternal gospel. They all proclaimed the message of full forgiveness through faith in the promised Savior from sin.

If you’re living in the United States, you know that soon it will be Election Day. In addition, no doubt you are asking the Lord to bless this day’s results for the good of the country and its people.

As you do, however, don’t forget to rejoice in knowing that above the ebb and flow of history, above the twists and turns of nations, above the actions of cultures and governments and individuals—above it all is the eternal gospel. Above it all is the voice of God in his Word. It is the voice that says, “To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life” (Rev 21:6).

And that, dear Christian, is a wonderful thing to know.

Prayer:
Lord of the nations, bless the flow of history for the good of your people. Above all, Lord Jesus, thank you for your eternal gospel. Amen.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Psalm 46:1

Courageous Witness

Daily Devotion – October 31, 2024

Devotion based on Psalm 46:1

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The story is told that when times were dark, when persecution was intense, when the enemies of truth appeared to triumph, Martin Luther would gather his fellow reformers. He would urge them, “Come, let us sing the 46th Psalm.” Eventually, Luther took the words of that psalm and composed one of the greatest hymns of the Lutheran church— “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”

As we seek to be courageous witnesses for Christ, where can we go when things get bad, when times get dark, when the opposition to Christ and his Word gets so bad that the enemies of truth seem to triumph? As Luther explains in his hymn, “With might of ours can naught be done, soon were our loss effected…” (Christian Worship 863:2) If it were up to us and our ability, the battle would be over before it even started. Satan and the sinful world would be able to claim victory without a fight.

“But for us fights the valiant one whom God himself elected. You ask, ‘Who is this?’ Jesus Christ it is, the almighty Lord, and there’s no other God; he holds the field forever.” (Christian Worship 863:2) The courageous witness need not be afraid, because it’s not up to us to fight for Christ. It is not up to us to preserve the gospel or the Christian church. We have One who already preserves the Word, the Church, and us—the almighty Lord who “holds the field forever.”

When times get dark, when the opposition of loved ones, coworkers, or classmates gets bad, the enemies of the truth seem to triumph. Where will we find a mighty fortress that not even Satan can destroy? We look to our God who is “an ever-present help in trouble.” We look to Christ, who has already won by his death on the cross and resurrection from the grave. Then we will see every one of Satan’s terrible attacks crash against that mighty fortress and disappear like so many waves. “The God of Jacob is our fortress!” (Psalm 46:11)

Prayer:
O Lord, be my rock and refuge, my mighty fortress against the old evil foe. Amen.

He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
Daniel 3:25

You’re Not Alone

Daily Devotion – October 29, 2024

Devotion based on Daniel 3:25

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Satan loves when followers of Christ are isolated. Like sheep getting separated from the flock, the devil looks for those times when we are alone or isolated away from Christ’s flock. At the very least, he uses our sinful natures to make us think we’re alone and isolated, that no one else is going through what we’re going through, especially if we are suffering for the sake of Christ.

While Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had courageously witnessed to the true God before an angry king, you wonder how they felt before they were tossed, turbans and all, into the blazing furnace. Did they wonder if God would rescue them? Did they wonder if the flames would destroy them as they had destroyed the soldiers accompanying them? Did they hope it would be quick? God’s Word doesn’t tell us what they were thinking, but we are told they were not alone.

As King Nebuchadnezzar watched all this play out, he noticed not just three men in the fiery furnace but four—one who “looks like a son of the gods.” There is good reason to believe that what he saw was an angel sent by God to protect those three men by suspending the physical properties of fire. They came out of that furnace safe and alive without a hint of smoke. The Lord, their faithful God, had not abandoned them in their hour of need.

Nor does he abandon you! We are called to live the lives of courageous witnesses—and that is not easy. Remaining faithful to Christ and his Word often means hostility, skepticism, opposition, and even persecution. Yet we are not alone. The same God who did not abandon the three men will never abandon us. He will always be with us, as he has promised repeatedly in his Word. As he powerfully rescued those three men, Christ has rescued us through his life, death, and resurrection. With Christ, we will never be alone!

Prayer:
O Lord, when the heat of opposition comes my way, shield me from harm and keep me from danger. Never leave me until I join you in the glories of heaven. Amen.