When You Walk Through the Fire

Last night as I folded clothes in my bedroom, my littlest began yelling, “You’re in the hot lava! You’re in the hot lava!” while pointing at the rug. I said, “Oh no!” but continued to put clothes away in drawers. I was on a mission and had no time for play. She then began singing, “God’s saving you! God’s saving you!” over and over. And it caught me by surprise.

She didn’t say, “You’re so strong or you’re so brave or you’re magic!” as I continued going about my business while wading through the “hot lava.” She didn’t even say, “You’re saving yourself!”

She said that God was saving me. And He does, y’all. Every minute of every day.

It made me think of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they were thrown into the fiery furnace in Daniel 3.

“But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?” “Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied. “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!” Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke! Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him.”

I think we all have been or may currently be in situations that feel a lot like hot lava. There are pressure and tension and heat building every second, just waiting for someone or something to blow up. We may feel pain and live with anxious thoughts of what is to come. And yet, we don’t leave the situation. We keep on keeping on.

It may be taking care of a loved one in bad health or working in an unhealthy environment. It may be dealing with an illness of your own or teaching a class of unruly students. People may say things like, “You’re so strong, I don’t know how you do it.” But the truth is, we can’t make it in our own strength. We are able to continue on solely because of a mighty God who is “saving” us, and walking alongside us, every second of every day, y’all.

There have been times that I didn’t even recognize His saving grace until I was on the other side of the “fire.” And then it was an incredible revelation to see how He had made so many little things fall into place…or sometimes out of place…to save me from myself and bring me through to fulfill His plan.

My five-year-old recognized that in my own power, I couldn’t save myself. And I have to remember that too. As adults, it’s so easy to try to be self-sufficient. It’s so easy to point to our bank account or our family or our job as our saving grace. But there is only One who is mighty to save.

Today, whatever lava you may be standing in, whatever fire you may be thrown into, know that there is a God who loves you, fights for you, sustains you and will save you if you’ll let Him.