27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them.
28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.
~ Daniel 3
“Don’t let this issue be your LAST!”
It will be.
Despite the dour warning screaming from my mailbox today, I won’t renew. “Highlights” has been been a welcome guest in our house each month for the past 15 years. But this year, my youngest has decided it’s not worth renewing. She’s outgrown it.
Perhaps it’s silly to be sad at not renewing a child’s magazine, but it’s a larger issue that speaks to me. It’s the incessant tick-tocking reminder that because I’m aging, I'll probably never return to a less pain-filled body. This is the year to make peace with pain, to accept life as is and worship God as fully as I can, even in THIS body.
The wording in Daniel 3 spoke to me afresh this afternoon. “The fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men” as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego “yielded up their bodies” rather than deny their God.
In fits and starts, I’m learning to lay down nagging thoughts of “So this is how I’m going to feel the rest of my life?” and accept that, yes, even with pain or witho
ut it, THIS is the body I'm asked to yield up in worship to my God.Freedom is the reward of acceptance—freedom from fear while passing through the waters, because I know I’m not alone; and through the rivers, because I know I won’t be overwhelmed. I know the fire will not burn me and the flame will not consume me (Isaiah 43:2-4).
Why? Because of who my God is. And He is enough. Even in THIS body.
11:For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
12: Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,
13: and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
~ Hebrews 12
2 comments:
Interesting... I was praying this 'God is enough' prayer myself today. My struggles aren't so much with my physical body (yet!) but I think maybe I could take some liberties with what you've written here and insert "mind" where you have "body" and take your words to heart for myself. It's my mind that doesn't tend to cooperate with me like I want it to... but nevertheless, He asks me to offer it up in worship to Him as well.
Also, I went back and read Dan. 3 and even before they offered their bodies, they faced, I'm sure, a 'battle of the mind' to make the choice to do so. And no matter what was going to happen to them, they chose God. That's amazing faith and surrender...
Thanks for these thoughts and I'm praying for you, too -- that God is enough AND that He will ease your pain. :-)
Thanks, Kay. I'll take the prayers.
And yes, I think whether pain is of the body or the mind, it's still pain and can mess with us if we let it. Those Hebrews boys set quite a high standard, huh? ;-)
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