Can I trust Him in the fiery furnace when I don’t know outcome?

Here's the Precious Prodigal post for August 01, 2014: Can I trust Him in the fiery furnace when I don’t know outcome? #HesstillGod Please "Share" using this "ShortLink" = http://bit.ly/1oVVU9t

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Daniel 3:17-18 "Our God…is able to deliver us…But if not…"

As I was reading Spurgeon’s Faith’s Checkpoint in my devotions this morning, my heart was broken anew as I read his prayer for godly children for his own home and for the homes of all who love and fear the Lord. That was certainly our plan, our hope, our prayer, wasn’t it? But for those of us who love a prodigal, it didn’t turn out that way.

You’ll agree, I’m sure that things often don’t turn out the way we planned. But when we’re doing the best we can, when we’re sold out to the Lord, our dedication beyond question, things should go well for us, shouldn’t they? You’d think so, but that’s not always the case.

King Nebuchadnezzar had set up a gold image and commanded that everyone was to bow down to that image and worship it. Whoever did not was to be thrown into a fiery furnace. You probably already know the story. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn’t bow down to that idol even when the king gave them another chance. And the king said, if they wouldn’t bow, “Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hand?” (Dan 3:15)

Our God was certainly able to deliver them, and He did. But keep in mind that those young men didn’t know the end of the story like we do. At the same time that they told Nebuchadnezzar God was able to deliver them, they added, “But if not…” they still would not bow down to the kings’ idol. (Dan 3:18) What courage that took! What determination!

While they may have been courageous by nature, you can bet that determination was already in place before their conversation with the king and probably before the idol was even set up. They didn’t impulsively say, “But if not…” when the test came. If they were going to face this challenge and probably lose their lives, they had almost certainly determined in advance that they would stand no matter the cost.

I can’t tell you the times I’ve seen parents, spouses, and other loved ones of prodigals drop out of the choir or other ministry positions and even drop out of church. I’ve seen them stop reading their Bibles or praying and walk away from what they were certain had been God’s plan for their lives. I’ve even seen them fall into sin and get so far away from the Lord that you’d question whether they ever knew Him in the first place. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego loved and served the Lord when they were elevated to a high position in Babylon. But they also determined, if necessary, to love and serve Him in the fiery furnace. They didn’t foolishly say God had forsaken them because something bad happened. They didn’t question whether God was able. In fact, they were positive He was able. “But if not…”

We want our marriage to last forever and honor God. We want our kids to live godly lives that will reflect the way we raised them. We want the job that will meet the needs of our family. We want the book we’re writing to be successful, the promotion we’ve worked for to happen, the broken relationships in our families healed.

And there’s nothing wrong with any of those. But if not…will we still serve the Lord? Will we still be faithful? It depends on how determined we are. And that determination is something we need to hold fast.

Challenge for Today: Can you, just for today, determine you will be faithful and trust God when the outcome is not what you hoped?