I endeavor to raise my children to be independent while knowing I’m there if they need me.  My daughter is ten and growing at a rapid pace these days.  She recently approached me about making her some toast to eat. I said, “I think you can make it for yourself this time.”  She looked at me somewhat surprised and a little apprehensive. This was the first time I’d pushed her to do something like this for herself. Until now, I’d always done it for her because I didn’t want her to get burned. I stated confidently, “You’re old enough!  You can do it!”  She replied apprehensively, “What do I do?”  I began giving her specific instructions on how to turn on the oven, how to know when it was preheated, what to be cautious about, and more. At one point before putting the bread into the oven I warned her, “When you open the oven there will be a lot of heat coming out. Just back away as you open. You’ll feel the heat but you won’t get burned….just don’t touch anything on the inside”. I walked over and watched as she followed my instructions. After doing so, she looked at me and smiled as if she’d conquered the world.

I could do everything for my children for the rest of their lives but that’s not a feasible expectation.  Sometimes, I allow them to make mistakes and go through certain issues to strengthen and teach them valuable lessons.  It’s not because I don’t care.  Just the opposite.  It’s because I know experience is the best teacher and, in the long run, it will make them stronger.  In Daniel 3 we come across the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  These three Hebrew men were sold out to God and refused to bow down and worship a golden idol put in place by King Nebuchadnezzar.  God could have rescued them from being thrown in the furnace for their refusal to worship the idol but He had other plans.  The king becomes enraged at their refusal and has the furnace heated seven times hotter than normal.  The three were bound and thrown into the fire.  Coincidentally, a few of the soldiers die from the heat while completing their task.  Moments later, King Nebuchadnezzar exclaims that he sees four men inside (rather than the three they had thrown in) and one of them resembles the son of God.  Surprised, the king calls for them to come out of the furnace.  Daniel 3:26-27 states, “…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!”  From that day forward the king promoted the men to even higher positions and proclaimed that no one would speak negatively about the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Closing remarks and encouragement:  As believers, we get frustrated when we feel God should intervene on our behalf and He doesn’t.  When God allows us to go through certain trials, it’s not because He’s a mean and vengeful God.  Sometimes, it’s because He has a valuable lesson to teach us.  God won’t always prevent us from being thrown in the fire but He will always meet us there.  Just as I exclaimed to my daughter, it’s probable you’ll feel the heat but you won’t get burned.

Have a blessed week, my friends!