“Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”   Daniel 3:25

We all know the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who were thrown into the fire to die because they refused to bow down and worship the king. I don’t think they expected to live through that. I don’t think they expected Someone else to show up in the fire with them.  But He did. Jesus Christ, Himself, showed up because of the tremendous faith and obedience of these men.

That is just one of many instances that we find in Scripture where “God shows up.”  In reality, God is always there.  In Deuteronomy 31:8, the Lord says, The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Sometimes when we are going through the hardest times in our life, we wonder… “Where is God?”  But it’s often in the trials of life, that we can experience Jesus most.

Talking about the severe trials that we face that, at times, test our faith, Peter says,In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:6,7)

….when Jesus Christ is revealed.  In the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Jesus Christ was revealed. Nebuchadnezzar saw Jesus and praised God for saving these men.  I have to ask myself, When I suffer through a difficult time, do I see Jesus with me?  More importantly, do others see Jesus in me, or do they only see the old self manifesting itself in anger and self-pity and grumbling?  Can they see godly characteristics exemplified I my life?

Peter says, Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you (1 Peter 4:12). If the God of the three Hebrew men always controls our life, we will display God’s attributes even under trial. Nebuchadnezzar observed the fire, but he especially noticed the fourth man.  When we have to suffer, do others mainly see the fire, or is their attention drawn to God? 

What others see will prove or disprove our profession of faith. When we are taken advantage of, or when others are rude to us, so we portray Christlike behavior?  Are we governed by the Holy Spirit or by sinful desires?  This of Stephen in Acts 6:15, All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.   All those who were watching saw the fourth man.

May we be faithful in exalting and portraying the fourth man every day and in every circumstance.