Truth for the Trenches

“‘Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, you servants of the most high God, come out and come here.’ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego walked out of the fire. And all the princes and the captains and governors and the king’s counselors gathered together there and saw these men against who bodies the fire had no power. Not a hair of their heads was singed, nor were their clothes burned and there was no smell of fire upon them.” Daniel 3:26-27


We read this over breakfast by my 5 year olds choice. I thought it was an odd morning reading choice but then this passage spoke loudly to me. I started reading it loudly and as I read the excitement grew. God is powerful! I love that King Nebuchadnezzar commanded them to walk out of the fire. But that wasn’t enough, he also commanded them to come to him. He wanted to not just see but to smell and touch the clothes and the men who survived a fire no one else could.

I found myself thinking of things I have survived; seasons of hurt in marriage or difficulty in parenthood, depression and loss. I found myself visualizing walking around those “fires” that refined me and hearing God say “Curry, come out, it is time.” How joyful those words are when God calls us out of the fire. But when Nebuchadnezzar called them out of the fire he was in awe at their appearance. Ours just like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego is protected if we have Jesus. He is our hiding place even in the fire. So, when God calls us out we might be exhausted or hurt but we are also strengthened and have seen more of Him. “Not a hair of their heads was singed, nor were their clothes burned” This is going to be my chant in those times that defeat me, that bring me to my knees. I might feel like I’m suffocating but I am protected and I will walk out. So, if you are in the fire right now, take a deep breath. God is there with you and when the time has come for Him to call you out He will fully restore you.

I have started fresh on this blog with the feeling that we are in the trenches. We are living in this world but this world is hard. Lots of days we have to fight for joy, fight for obedience, fight for rest. Following Jesus isn’t easy, it requires discipline and running to Him for strength. I forget this a lot and try to muster my own strength in perfection and approval. I need scripture on my walls and hymns sung throughout the day. I need truth screamed at me from every side or I get distracted. Truth gets lost in piles of laundry, whiny kids, full spectrum emotions, lack of time and task lists. So for me this is a battle cry, sung during the hardest times and sung during the joyful ones; with tears in my eyes and a smile on my face. Truth for me, truth for you, truth for the trenches so we can fight well, love deeply and worship in the midst!