Scripture
25“Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!” 26Then 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. 27Then 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! Daniel 3:25-27
Observation
We started the Book of Daniel in the wake of the absolute desolation and devastation of Jerusalem and The Holy Temple. This massive loss along with the deportation of Israel to the pagan kingdom of Babylon left most of Israel certain their fate was written and their faith was forsaken. The story shifts to focus our attention on four of these Jewish refugees Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. These four young men have been uprooted from everything familiar, familial, and holy and yet instead of dying they are fruiful. Though they changed their names to erase their faith, calling them according to their pagan gods, these four young men knew their identity was determined by the One who made them! Instead of blending in with the pagan practices around them, instead of bending a knee to false worship, they stood apart as those who belonged, not to a wicked king, but to a Holy God! How’s this possible? Though they experienced change on every level that should have crushed their faith they not only survived, but thrived. They may have been uprooted from where they had once lived, but they remained rooted in the presence of the living God.
Application
Today marks the solemn 23rd Anniversary of the 9/ll Terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City. Nearly 3,000 people were killed after four planes were hijacked by attackers from the Al Qaeda terrorist group. My family and I were in New York for my nephew’s wedding back in May of 2021. This was our first time there and though there were many sites we wanted to see, Ground Zero, was a place we needed to see. One of the most impactful moments for me was when I found myself standing under the shade of The Survivor Tree with my family just outside of the memorial building. After being buried for over a month under the rubble of the fallen buildings the charred remains of a Callery pear tree became one of the only signs of life in an area now only marked by death. Melissa Breyer writes, “After nine years of rehab in the Bronx, the Survivor Tree went home. Planted at the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum, it thrives in a solemn place that is filled with both memories and life. Scarred but robust, she offers her branches to birds and shade to passersby—and remains a potent reminder of resilience in the face of destruction.” Much like the historic banyan tree in Lahaina that still stands after last year's horrific Maui fires, our souls find hope for new life after so much death from these survivor trees. It's all about the roots. When we are rooted in Christ we can endure the flames that surround us. This is a prophetic picture of what I believe God wants to do with this next generation. Just as He used Daniel and his friends to be a sign of life in dark times to the people of Israel exiled to Babylon, so too God will use Millennials, Gen Z, Gen Alpha to remind us to put our roots deep in Christ Jesus.
Prayer
I saw these signs of life yesterday at The Father’s House. I saw what You were up to in stirring up the gifts of our young people who were leading the way in spontaneous testimonies throughout the room at youth group. Happy tears were flowing as we saw our youth stepping out in the boldness of Daniel despite the scorched earth of their generation around them. May our roots continue to grow deep in You so that we might see fruitfulness in a land of barrenness. Let us steward well these young men and women of faith who are growing up in a pagan land. Let us continue to raise up and release them in their God-given callings. They are living proof that what the enemy meant for destruction You have turned it around for Your good! Today we pray for hope for those in Lahaina still working to rebuild their lives and community and for the families grieving the loss of their loved ones. We pray continued comfort over those who lost loved in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. May we never forget those brave souls who laid downs their lives to save those trying to escape. May we be the survivor trees rooted and grounded in You Jesus providing shade for the next generation!
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2
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