There’s a story in the Old Testament in which three Jewish men refuse to bow down and worship the Babylonian king as a god, because of their love and loyalty to the Hebrew God—Yahweh. The king threatens to throw them into a furnace. But they stood firm and responded: …we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up. (Daniel 3: 16-18) This response infuriated the egotistical dictator. In a fit of rage he ordered the furnace to be heated 7 times hotter than usual. The three Jewish men were bound and thrown into the furnace. The furnace was so hot that the two guards who threw them in died. But soon after the king and guards looked into the furnace and saw something astonishing -- there was life within the fire. Not only were the three men not burning, their bonds were released, and they walked freely in the flames with a fourth person in their midst. It was God. In disbelief the king ordered his guards to get the men out of the furnace. The men were not merely alive, but completely unharmed. Not even a hair on their head was singed. The text says they didn’t even smell like fire. Bullied, manipulated, and taunted by fear to bow down to something they didn’t believe in, and these courageous men were unwavering. With eyes opened they walked into the fire convinced God would be with them. And He was. I read this story and can’t help but see the freedom, the faith, the courage, the chains that were released. But they had to go through the fire. Can you imagine the terror pulsing through your veins as you walked into a fiery furnace where the only logical result would be your death? I would never expect that walking into the fire would bring me more life, freedom and connection to God than I could ever imagine. Don't miss the rest of @thekatharris newest article on @therefinedwoman from this past week #refinedbyfire
