the darkest moments in are lives are very rarely shared with those we love. ive come to the conclusion that we walk the majority of our darkest nites… our most fierce battles, our worst nightmares, alone.

shadrack, meshack and abednego faced a true firestorm. they had refused to conform to the world they lived in… and because of that, they faced death. death in an excruciating maner. they were to be burned alive.

im sure they’d seen others face this same death. im sure they’d heard the screams… seen the agony, and maybe – just maybe – turned away in sheer horror as person after person died litterally being baked to death…

they’d seen what this firey furnace could do, yet they stayed on. they knew they had been chosen to walk this road. they knew the One who had authored their very destiny. they looked fear in the face, they looked death square in the eyes… and i am positive they felt fear… but they did not give in.

they held the ground they’d walked before.

now, i know the bible doesnt go into detail regarding what when through these guys minds in the final moments. it doesnt go into detail about the thoughts they had, about wether they had families, or girlfriends, or careers… the bible is very simple in its explanation.

they did not conform, therefore, they must die

i often wonder what the 3 guys from long ago thought of… in those, quite possibly their last few moments. did they confess the sin they had harboured? did they wonder what it would feel like?

and even more so – had they thought about this possibility and prepared for it long ago?

im sure that the impressionable mind of a child, seeing countless others thrown into this furnace, does a lot to ones level of fear for the authorities.

and yet, they did not waiver. they did not flinch. in the face of certain, searing death – they stood strong.

in conclusion tonite, im offering an honest heart. and an honest prayer. im not where i need to be right now. i know if i stood before a firey furnace, staring death in the face, i would have unconfessed sins id have to deal with. there would be people i would regret not apologizing to, and people who needed to know i loved them. there would be bridges that needed mending, and walls that needed tearing down….

most importanly, there would be a frightened young man, unsure of who he was, standing on the edge of the furnace, trying desperately to be good enough to make it to heaven when he dies.

my honest prayer? Lord… help.