The image was tall, it was huge, standing over the people gathered below, the sun glinting off the bronze metal. There was a general hushed murmur of the crowd as they squinted their eyes from the reflection, to behold the magnificent figure standing before them. The immense statue towered over them it’s austere, solemn face, fixed on the far horizon. The air was tense with wonder and excitement. Suddenly, a hush fell over the crowd, someone was speaking! “At what time you hear the sound of the music, you must fall down and worship the image! If you do not, you will be cast into the fiery furnace!” Almost at once the sound of music drifted over the crowd. Terrified, the people obeyed, falling on their faces alongside their fellows, prostrating themselves in the dust. The whole of the plain before the statue became a sea of prostrate figures, each bowing in worship to the new god. But wait, there in the midst of the worshippers stood three figures, like islands in the middle of the sea, refusing to bow to this edifice. A runner appears racing for the portico where the king and his lords sat. “Oh king, he cries, there are three men out there who have not obeyed your command! They are not bowing down to worship!” The kings face twisted in rage, “Bring them to me!” he bellows. The three men stood straight and tall before his majesty. “No, we will not bow to your image,” they all said. “You can throw us in the fire, but we will not bow to your idol. We serve the living God, and He is able to deliver us. However, even if he chooses not to, we still will not worship your image!”
The furnace was stoked with wood, and the fire lit. More and more fuel was added until the furnace itself was hotter than it had ever been before. The people could see the fire and feel the heat radiating out in the already warm day. A hush fell over the crowd of worshippers, who were no longer bowing, but straining to see what would happen to these men who refused the kings command. “Bring my most honorable and mighty warriors!” barked the king, “We will see if their God is able to deliver them from this!” The three men were bound with ropes and the king’s men drew near the flaming furnace. With all their might, they threw the three men into the middle of the flaming inferno, while they became overcome by the flames and heat. The flames seared them to death even as the prisoners fell headlong into the flames! The crowd gasped! And then they saw it! Not three men, but four, walking around in the fire! Eyes strained to see, hands and bodies pushed against each other as they jostled to get a better look. The king sat in silence, unable to speak. Fear causing him to tremble as he took in the scene. Suddenly he spoke in amazement, like an inspiration, “The fourth man! He looks like the Son of God!” At once curiosity, fear and amazement overcame him and he ran to go see for himself. As he drew near, he called for the men to come out of the fire. Aside from their bonds being burn, there was not a scratch, burn or even the smell of smoke on them! The statue was momentarily forgotten, as the king made a decree that there is no other God, who is able to deliver from this sort. Anyone in the kingdom, who does not give honor to this God will lose their life and everything he has. *
Is this the God you serve, who is able to deliver? Or are you worshipping an image you have set up?
The man had lots of money. For that matter, he already had everything he could ever want. He looked out over his fields of ripe grain. “Where will I put all of this crop?” he said to himself. “I tell you what I will do, I will tear down these old barns of mine and build new ones, large and spacious enough to hold all of this crop. These barns I have are already showing their age, and besides I have the money to do it! It’s a good investment! Later if I want to, I can sell the whole lot and never have to work again!”” You fool,” God says,” You will die tonight, then who’s property will this all be?” **
The woman was miserable. For years already she had visited doctors and healers all over the country. “Has it already been 12 years I’ve had this problem?” she said to herself. She thought, “What does it hurt to try?” She was hopeful, her faith was weak, yet she had seen him heal many people who were worse off than her. The crowd was thick, as she quietly, slipped through them. “I think I will just try to touch his clothes,” she said to herself. “That way I can slip away unnoticed and no one will know.” Closer she inched through the throngs of people surrounding Him. She pressed harder, closer, there bowing low she reaches through the legs of the people and just was able to touch the hem of His robe before the crowd overtook her. Immediately, there was a change in her body. She could feel it, as she hurried to get away before He noticed. She was healed! Suddenly, there was a voice, his voice, “Who touched me?” He said. “What? He noticed?” the crowd became silent. Someone spoke, “Why do you say someone touched you, with the crowd all around? Anyone could have touched you!” “I felt healing go out of me.” he said. Trembling the woman slipped through the crowd back to Jesus. He spoke gently to her, “Thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” ***
In which of these three stories do you find yourself?
* Daniel 3, ** Luke 12:16-21, *** Luke 8:43-48
https://www.gospeltractandbible.org/tract/heart_of_man
Discover more from Faith Feathers & Dust
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
