Dark Places
Tuesday, November 4
Daniel 3:25 (NKJV)
““Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”
Devotion
The gauntlet was thrown down before Shadrack, Meshach, and Abed-Nego when King Nebuchadnezzar told them to bow before his image and worship it. If they didn’t, they would be thrown into a burning fiery furnace. The provoking moment came, however, when the king said, “And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” These men would not bow. So into the furnace they tumbled, bound and all.
But an incredible thing happened. The king saw the three men in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and a fourth man who looked like the Son of God. The king, amazed, changed his decree that no one shall speak against the God of these three men, because no other God can deliver like this. In the end, the king even promoted these three Jewish men as a result. God’s intervention completely reversed the king’s decree.
Pastor Franklin noted in Sunday’s sermon that, though the king saw a fourth man, it does not indicate the three other men did. When a person is in a dark place or heavily burdened under the weight of trials, they may not realize God is there with them, but He is. It could be that He has even led them there. Not being able to see in the dark, their hearts strive to seek the Lord Jesus Christ and rely heavily on Him. Maybe that’s what He was looking for all along. And in some cases of great persecution, the Lord looked to convert the persecutors. Look at what happened to the Apostle Paul.
It is in these dark places where the greatest treasures are mined. The Lord has hidden them just for this time. They were meant to be found by the one who seeks Him: the blessing, the answer that transforms, the light to lead them out of darkness. “And you will seek Me, and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity” (Jeremiah 29:12–13). The Lord said in Isaiah 45:2–3, “I will go before you and make the crooked places straight … I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel.”
Today's Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
You said in Your Word that even when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, You are with me. Though I don’t understand “why” or see the “how” of deliverance right now, it does not matter. I still trust You. You are the Light of the World, and those who follow You will not walk in darkness but have the light of life. So lead on. I will follow You because I love You. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Apply It Today
If you are going through a dark time or know someone who is, be encouraged not to lose hope and not to let go. Call upon the name of Jesus. The Shepherd is with you. He will protect, provide, and preserve your life—this is His responsibility. Pray and ask the Lord to show you a promise or verse(s) in the Bible that you can “lay anchor to” and declare when fear, anxiety, and doubt are banging on your door. You will be able to declare, along with all the saints, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony …” (Rev. 12:11). You will not bow.
Resources
- Whatever you're facing today, share your Prayer Request with us and let us stand with you in prayer.