Daniel 3
…and there was no smell of fire on them.
A few days ago I was reading Daniel. I kept thinking of how wonderful God is in His faithfulness. I am without words when thinking of His protection, timing and boundless power when He joined Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. I believe God is complete and nothing can be added or taken from Him. He is all. He truly is I AM.
During that very same day, I burned the last of the winter wood in the living room fireplace. I went upstairs to my office to work and forgot about it. My daughter came home from work that evening and the first thing she said was, “It smells like smoke in here.” I thought of the three friends from earlier in my day.
I had gone upstairs to my work and completely forgot. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego never forgot. Their work, their leisure, what they ate, how they behaved, all reflected their devotion and commitment to God. I cannot express the defeat I felt, or even feel right now as I write this. I forget all the time. My day, my work, my leisure, and meals. Sure, I say my prayer of gratitude for my food, but then my conversation that follows often doesn’t fit who I am as a follower of Jesus. I don’t even want to admit what I choose to put in my body. I am convicted to change, to be more committed and devoted in all I think, say and do. Within hours I fail. What I want to do I cannot do, what I don’t want to do…I DO! The frustration! I want to be like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, I don’t want to smell like smoke.
Then I remembered… Jesus was with them in the fire. It is because of Christ Jesus, then and now. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out of the fire unsinged because of His protection. I will not have the smell of smoke. I am protected and bear the righteousness of Christ, not because of what I do and don’t do, but because of what I did. I accepted the gift of forgiveness and salvation from the daily dread of my sin and failure. I accepted the gift of eternal life only the LORD, my Savior, my King, my God can give. He offers this gift to me, to you, for all, at the cross. I put on the righteousness of Christ, and the smell of smoke is extinguished. I can never take it off because it is not me, but Christ who lives in me. This I can never quench, my desire to live, to love, to learn and be conformed into the likeness of Christ Jesus.
Praise be to God, for the Holy One, Who makes all things new!
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