Faith in the Fire
Dream interpretations, surviving standing in a furnace, and what that means for us now.
One day away from the weekend Salt and Light readers! Welcome back to our weekly essay where we reflect on our current mini-comic, Believing in Babylon. The comic retells the Biblical story of Daniel, and in this week’s page, we see Daniel rising to be the conquering king’s advisor but his friends paying the price for their success in the foreign kingdom.
Daniel had a supernatural gift from God to be able to interpret the meaning of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream without being told what the king had seen and experienced. The favor that was bestowed upon Daniel came because God broke into the normal way of life. God shows not only His mercy but favor on His children while in exile from their home.
But God did not shield them from the contempt of powerful men who influenced the king. There was no supernatural protection from the Babylonians as they schemed and caught the Hebrew men disobeying the king’s edict to pray to his statue. The three knew there was only one God, YHWH, who they could worship. The first commandment is clear: “you shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).
Yet God did intervene in their punishment and Nebuchadnezzar again exalted the one true God. They all got another promotion. God is close to those who are faithful and in need.
I wish God would show up like this every time we needed Him. He does not, but it is essential to know and believe that He can. He alone is God and His perfect plans cannot be thwarted.
Living in our world with multiple faith communities and many who call no particular faith their own, we will stand out as we also believe and worship the One and Only God. How are we to live with those who may also have contempt for us and our beliefs?
We should live in such a way that promotes the good to everyone where you live. Daniel and the three lived out the edict of God given by way of Jeremiah as they were sent into exile:
“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:5-8)
We live to be a blessing. We bless all of our neighbors, not just those who believe like we do.
As an interfaith chaplain, I have been accused of selling out or watering down the faith. I do help others where they are in their faith journey. It is true. But I never water down the faith that is the only one that gives living water. Let us encourage others to speak of their beliefs so that we may have the opportunity not just to speak but be heard. Let us thank God for living in a nation that everyone has the freedom to seek God who does not hide. May we be as bold as Daniel and the three, that God may interrupt the normal way and show us His better Way.
Nace Lanier