“Beam Me Up, Scottie!”
By Susan Klein
“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it.”
Daniel 3:17
Even if you’re not at “Trekkie,” you may recognize that most familiar line from the television series Star Trek. Whenever Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise would find himself in a perilous situation on a strange planet, he would open his communicator (like a cell phone) and ask to be immediately beamed back up to his ship. He always managed to escape in the nick of time, avoiding a fatal demise.By Susan Klein
“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it.”
Daniel 3:17
Sometimes, when in the midst of a pressing situation, don’t we all wish we could just open our cell phones, press a button, and utter the words, “Beam me up, God! This is too hard. I want out!” But that is not reality. Sometimes, walking in the will of God means walking through those difficult situations, not being rescued from them. Daniel had to spend the night in the lion’s den in order for God’s will to be done. But God was right there with him, closing the mouths of the lions. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had to walk into the fiery furnace to bring glory and honor to God. He did not spare them from having to go in, but He walked through it with them.
Be confident in this; there will be obstacles and difficulties in this life. And, God always has a purpose for every circumstance in our lives. If we avoided all the difficult ones, we may not reap the blessings of drawing close to Him and seeing His mighty hand at work. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego knew that there was a possibility that God would not choose to save them from the fire (as stated in Daniel 3:18), yet they stood firm, knowing that no matter what the outcome, their God was with them and had a purpose for their living through this trial.
Our circumstances do not always have a happy ending, as did Captain Kirk’s. We don’t always escape before the going gets tough! But, rather than pleading; “Beam me up, Lord!” why not try requesting, “Walk me through this.”
GOING DEEPER:
1. What is your initial response when you see a storm of life approaching?
2. How can you better prepare yourself for the next obstacle to come your way?
FURTHER READING:
Acts 27:23-26; James 1:12
Susan is a wife and mother of two. She is the Coordinator of Oakwood’s Tuesday a.m. Bible Study and one of its teachers.
