By David Faust
“The only certainty in life is that it is uncertain,” wrote Charles Glassman in his book, Brain Drain. But wait. The dictionary defines certainty as “the firm conviction that something is true, based on evidence.” By that definition, I’m certain 2 x 2 = 4, the earth isn’t flat, and murder isn’t right. I’m certain my body needs food, water, and oxygen. I’m certain that unless Christ returns first, I will die someday—and I’ll keep paying taxes till that day arrives!
Admittedly, much about the future remains uncertain. “Do not worry about tomorrow,” Jesus taught (Matthew 6:34). We don’t know for sure what will happen this week, let alone 10 years or 100 years from now.
Future-angst is widespread these days, and it crosses generational lines. Teens stress-out over college and career choices, senior adults worry about health care, and Americans of all ages worry about the economy and upcoming elections.
Facing the Furnace
A terrifying death sentence awaited Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. King Nebuchadnezzar ordered everyone to worship a tall gold statue he had erected, and when these three God followers bravely refused to comply, the king’s temper burned like a superheated furnace. In the region of ancient Babylon, archaeologists have discovered kilns used to make bricks—the very kind of place where the angry monarch threatened to throw anyone who disobeyed his orders.
The future looked grim for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, but they never flinched in their devotion to God. They told Nebuchadnezzar, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it. . . . But even if he does not . . . we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (Daniel 3:17-18). They believed that God is able, and God knows best. In other words, the Lord has the power to deliver his people, but we can trust his wisdom even when no miracle occurs.
Facing the Cross
Fast-forward about six centuries. The disciples didn’t know how things would turn out, although Jesus had prepared them for this moment by telling them in advance that he would be betrayed and killed. After the Lord’s crucifixion and burial, the disciples were scared, perplexed, and sorrowful. Their faith was being tested by fire of a different kind. The upper room where they huddled felt like a furnace of despair.
During those dark hours, did any of the disciples remember the three brave Jewish men who were tied up and thrown into the fire? I wonder if they recalled how, when Nebuchadnezzar peered into the furnace, he saw three men walking around “unbound and unharmed” (Daniel 3:25)—safe and free amid the blazing heat—and he saw a fourth man walking in the fire with them. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego survived the blazing furnace, and Jesus’ resurrection enabled his disciples to survive the fires of fear and doubt.
God won’t shelter you from all hardships; but if you go through the fire, you don’t have to face it alone. He feels the heat, too. No matter what happens—even when you don’t know exactly what lies ahead—you can rely on his power and wisdom. In uncertain times, never lose confidence in God’s unchangeable character and “the certainty of the things you have been taught” (Luke 1:4).
Personal Challenge: What “fire” are you currently facing? Thank the Lord that you don’t have to go through it alone. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” (Isaiah 43:2-3).
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David Faust’s new book, Not Too Old: Turning Your Later Years into Greater Years, was released April 10. It is available from College Press and Amazon. To read an article/excerpt from Not Too Old, click here.
Amen