With such frigid temperatures this season many turn to
electric heaters for warmth. These
little inventions pack some heat and bring comfort quickly to the room. Heat from another source keeps the furnace
from running continuously and the electric bill payable. It makes sense to use such a device. Benefits do not come without risks. I will never forget the evening I got the
call. . .
My night itinerary consisted of hourly tasks needing
completion ASAP. Well, I arrived home
from work and the phone rang. The call
altered my itinerary completely. My dad’s
trailer caught fire and crews rushed to try and save it. Dad’s phone remained on vibrate while
watching a play; but, finally after receiving a third call from an unknown
number, he answered. I don’t remember who
got there first; all I remember is seeing the flames burning violently. Never have I witnessed such a thing. Being a trailer, it burned quickly, moving
throughout with full force. The culprit:
an electric heater fell over. His
intentions were simply to be warm when returning from the play.
Now, I can sit here and tell you all the items lost or
damaged by the flames, but I want to take a deeper look into the
situation. In a book I own, “What if. .
.” a question asks, What if your house caught fire and you could take three
items with you, what would those items be?
We begin to think about our most prized possessions, right? Scrapbooks, jewelry, memorabilia, family
heirlooms, etc. In really thinking
through the question, I guarantee each answer would change quickly when taking
into consideration family living in the home.
Luckily, my dad only used this trailer when visiting; but, a family
member was present during the fire. His
dog, chained to the trailer, no doubt felt the heat of the flames. Firefighters worked quickly and saved Sasha,
taking her to the local shelter for safety.
Dad could care less about the items lost/damaged that night. Knowing Sasha survived unharmed is all that
matter in his mind. Everything else
could be replaced.
Relating this to a story I recently read in the Bible. .
.Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego not only watched flames burning violently, but
they were placed inside the flames due to their faith in our God. Standing firm on His Word, Promises and Love,
these men trusted in God and as a result experienced a blazing furnace. I cannot imagine the emotions consuming these
men as they approached the furnace, ropes trapping their hands and feet,
knowing what’s to come. The fire burned
to such degree that the men leading Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego died due to
the heat. Imagine standing in the
distance witnessing such a thing. . .
The story does not end. . .King Nebuchadnezzar checked on
the furnace expecting to see none of the men.
To his amazement, FOUR men roamed the fiery furnace unbound and
unharmed. The strength of their faith,
the trusting in their hearts and the loyalty shown to God kept them safe. God sent an angel to protect each man from the
fire, moving them to safety. The king
praised God Who sent an angel to save these men and commended their faith!
Ever walk in a fiery furnace in your life? Ever feel as though you witness pieces in your
life burning violently without an extinguisher?
Don’t fear the furnace. Fires
will occur; a call concerning your health, meeting with a boss only to hear
cutbacks need be made, sickness strikes your child, bills pile up without
income to pay, etc. But guess what my
friend, we have a Firefighter Who will quickly rescue and save us from any fire
this world dishes out. His only concern
is bringing you to safety leaving behind anything that bound. See, often times while in the fire, Satan
works against our Savior to keep us bound, hoping to singe our faith and destroy
our spirit. Letting go of “worldly items”
and “worldly advice” while in the fire will bring you out unharmed and
unbound. Fires can be a good thing. .
.we leave behind the grip we hold on this world and look to our Savior, relying
only on Him to see us through. His story
does not end here. . .much waits for us when leaving the fiery furnace – the world!
No matter what you face, trust in Him, let go of the world
and hold tightly to your Savior! Your
survival is all that matters to Him.
Keep praying harder than the devil can work.
Sheree Craig
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