I live in St. Louis, and not far from us, Joplin, MO has suffered horrific tornado damage.  Chapter 5 of my book is called, "Jesus Wept" (John 11:35), named after the shortest verse in Scripture, but one of the most meaninful ones, when "God in human form shed tears with humanity" (p. 65, Mile Marker 825) after his friend had died. So this week's blog is a relevant piece from that chapter.

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David said, "You have given me relief when I was in distress" (Psalm 4:1, ESV), which is a statement of thanksgiving for having been set free not from suffering but rather through suffering. Likewise, in the "Shepherd Psalm," he said, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me" (Psalm 23:4, ESV)." David did not say, "I don't have to worry about evil really happening," or "God, please remove evil from my life." Instead, David understood that he would face trials, but that his trustworthy God would always be by his side to help him through such times, and David's own faith would increase in the process. He was dependent upon the One whom he came to know as his rock and deliverer, who empowered him to defeat a lion, a bear, and a nine-foot tall giant (1 Sam. 17:36-37).

In the same way, three teen-aged boys got thrown in a life sized oven, heated seven times hotter than usual just for them, simply because they had faith in the true God and refused to bow down to the king (Daniel 3). In the furnace, though, Scripture describes a 4th One who walked around with them in the fiery furnace, and who protected them, so much that their clothes didn't even smell like smoke. Truly, after a night of bowling, my clothes smell like smoke for a week, and these young men were in a burning furnace, but God met them in their place of trial.

Don't ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the LORD your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9b (CEV)

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