It's that time of year on this side of the globe. Time to clean out the gardens, rake up the leaves, mow the lawn for the last time and if everything works out right have a fire in the back yard to dispose of dead branches. Everything worked out right this year and I had a nice fire going for quite some time the other day. I love the smell of the wood burning and the feel of the warmth coming off of the fire, it makes fall seem right. When I came inside, however, my clothes were saturated with smoke. There was no disguising that I had been near a fire.
Contrast that with, Daniel 3:26,27, "...Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. ... the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them." As amazing as it is that these men were not killed by the fire, they were not harmed in any way. As if that wouldn't be enough of a sign of God's faithfulness, God goes one better than that and these men come out of the furnace not even smelling of fire. Not even smelling of it!
When I go through difficult times, times which I might be tempted to equate to a fiery furnace, I can't help but think of the injuries I am going to incur. The scars I will carry with me for the rest of my life. It doesn't seem possible to go through some of the hard times we experience on this earth without realizing permanent scars. Yet these men came through the fire not only unscarred, but without even the smell of fire on them.
God is able to bring me through without the smell of fire on me.
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