The Year 2020
This year has certainly been a challenging one! And we are only half way through July!
COVID-19, Killer Hornets, Riots, division, etc. It seems the world is burning up right before our eyes figuratively speaking.
What are we to do? Where do we turn?
As I write this I am reminded of the story in Daniel Chapter 3 where Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were bound and thrown into a fiery furnace that had been heated up 7 times more than normal by the King Nebuchadnezzar who was angry because they refused to bow to other gods. And what I love about this story is that while they were in the furnace there was a fourth man seen to be walking with them through the flames. All unbound walking around in the fire. And when the King saw this he ordered them to come out of the fire! And three of them walked out unharmed! How awesome is that!
The fire I believe we are in today is a fire that is refining us and strengthening us for the journey that is ahead. We don't walk through this fire alone!! Jesus is walking in the fire with us.
Many have lost their jobs, lost loved ones to illness or violence, and many are living in fear of what is to come! We are concerned about our children and teachers as they prepare to go back to school! Our churches are either online only or having worship services with half the attendance that they had previous to the virus and shut down of our communities.
Walking through this fire can seem like it's becoming too much to bear, too hot to handle, and we are feeling like we aren't going to make it through!
The good news is that we have Jesus walking with us through this time of refinement! We are being formed more and more into His image and are being called to look deep within our hearts and souls to see where we might be choosing to follow the ways and voices of this world rather than following Him.
There is hope! When we stay focused on the LORD, on Jesus Christ and walk with Him we will walk out of this fire unharmed, unscathed and ready to continue our journey with Him. Will we have lost something, someone during this time? Most likely. But we cannot let the distractions and events of this world take our focus off of Him. For when we do, we will burn up in the fire!! I encourage you to praise God, praise Jesus Christ and know that the Holy Spirit will give you the power, wisdom and strength to weather this firestorm!!
Refined, Renewed and Restored!! This is our promise, our hope, our future!!
Be blessed this day my friends!