But if not...

Something interesting that i learnt during my quiet time using Our Daily Bread...

Daniel chapter 3 was talking about King Nebuchadnezzar summoned all the people working under him to bow down and worship the gold image that he has set up as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music being played. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediaely be thrown into a blazing furnace.

But something interesting in this chapter happen, 3 man named Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not bow down and worhip the gold image and was very firmed in their faith when being asked was is true that they did not want to bow down, answering King Nebuchadnezzar in verse 16-18, "O 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 save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

Very well, good answer when the 3 of them said they will not bow down to any other gods besides their own God but when they said, "but even if he does not...", does this showed that they are lack of faith? =) NO. They knew God was fully capable of delivering them from the fiery furnace.

There's a lesson in this for all of us. Is God all-powerful? Yes. Is He able to deliver us from all our problems? Yes. Does God always deliver us from all our problems? Yes. Does God always deliver us from our difficulties? No.

We may not fully comprehend God's purpose in our difficulty and suffering, but we must not cease to love Him. We must trust Him and hope in Him in spite of the trials that threaten to overwhelm us.

I'm very thankful that God is letting me to go through some problems that seems so so BIG to me that i nearly fall sometimes but His words always reminds me that His grace is sufficient... and i know for sure that all things work out for good to those who love Him. So whatever we are going through, don't be frighten and lost hope. God is already there and He is helping us to go through hoping that we will learn each lessons to improve our character to be like JESUS.

But if He does not deliver us to the place we wish to be, plans we wish to achieve, don't get angry with Him because it is written in Isaiah 55:8-9, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts."

HALLELUJAH.... it is so nice to hear this verse because we know that GOD WILL ALWAYS WANT TO GIVE THE BEST TO US. Things that we think is the best for us might not the be the best that God wants us to have. HAllELujAH......