Daniel (Greek) 3:46-50: a reflection

46The king’s servants who put them in didn’t stop making the furnace hot with naphtha, pitch, tinder, and small wood, 47so that the flame streamed out forty nine cubits above the furnace. 48It spread and burned those Chaldeans whom it found around the furnace. 49But the angel of the Lord came down into the furnace together with Azarias and his fellows, and he struck the flame of the fire out of the furnace, 50and made the midst of the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind, so that the fire didn’t touch them at all. It neither hurt nor troubled them.

The three young men have been thrown into the blazing furnace, heated so fiercely that its flames killed the men who threw them in. But into that furnace comes the angel of the Lord, who drives the fire out of their midst and makes the heart of the furnace like a cool, moist breeze, so that the fire does not touch them at all. God did not keep them from the furnace; but he was with them in it, and the fire that should have consumed them could not harm them.

Notice that God's deliverance came not by keeping them out of the fire, but by being with them in it. They were thrown into the furnace; the fire was real, deadly, blazing. But God met them there, in the midst of the flames, and made the fire harmless, turning the heart of the furnace into a cool breeze. He did not spare them the furnace, but he was present in it, and his presence made the fire unable to harm them. The deliverance was in the fire, not from it.

That is a comfort for the fires we cannot avoid. God does not always keep us out of the furnace; sometimes the trial comes, the fire blazes, and we are in the midst of it. But God is able to be with us in the fire, as he was with the three young men, and his presence can make even the fiercest trial unable to finally harm us. When you are in the fire of a trial you could not avoid, do not despair as though God had abandoned you to it. He is able to be with you in the furnace, as he was with the three; his presence in the midst of the fire is his way of keeping you through it. The fire is real, but God is in it with you, and his presence can make even the fiercest flame unable to consume you. Trust the God who meets his own in the furnace, and is with you in the fire you cannot avoid.

Lord, the three young men were thrown into the blazing furnace, its flames deadly; but your angel came into the furnace, drove out the fire, and made its heart like a cool breeze, so the fire did not touch them at all. You did not keep them from the furnace, but were with them in it. Comfort me with that for the fires I cannot avoid. You do not always keep me out of the furnace; sometimes the trial comes, the fire blazes, and I am in the midst of it. But you are able to be with me in the fire, as you were with the three young men, and your presence can make even the fiercest trial unable to finally harm me. When I am in the fire of a trial I could not avoid, keep me from despairing as though you had abandoned me to it. You are able to be with me in the furnace, as you were with the three; your presence in the midst of the fire is your way of keeping me through it. The fire is real, but you are in it with me, and your presence can make even the fiercest flame unable to consume me. Help me trust you, who meet your own in the furnace, and are with me in the fire I cannot avoid. Be with me in the fire, Lord.