As I write this, Hurricane Florence has hit the Carolina Coast. Unlike most natural disasters, you can see hurricanes coming long in advance. Days before Florence hit land, people began to talk about precautions, as it was projected to hit big time.

“We gotta get water, bread, lots of snacks and extra batteries!” But the thing is, hurricanes are unpredictable. The hurricane might land somewhere unexpected or it could putter out in the cold waters of the Atlantic. After spending lots of money on supplies and the hurricane didn’t show up, you might begin to think, “Maybe that hurricane wasn’t such a big deal after all?” How do you know if you didn’t go through it? It can lead us to becoming jaded about the whole thing.

There is the story of three young men in the Bible that were waiting for a powerful force to come into their lives. These men were to be executed by the Babylonian King because they would not bow down and pray to his gods.

Daniel 3:15 tells us the King ordered the men to be thrown into a fiery furnace saying “What God will be able to rescue you from my hands?” These were faithful Jewish boys who knew that God rescued the Israelites from Egypt and David from Goliath. Others might have wondered if God was really able to rescue them. It’s like wondering if a hurricane you didn’t experience was really that powerful all along. But these three men had a deep and profound faith.

In verse 17 they say “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it… but even if He does not… we will not serve your gods.” Their faith in the Lord did not rely on Him rescuing them, even if rescue was the desire of their hearts. Does your faith depend on God’s rescue? At times it feels that things like grief, cancer, barrenness, addiction, or past traumas are taunting us like the king taunted the young men “What God will be able to rescue you from my hands?”

What God? Let me tell you what God – the Lord God Almighty, who is a mighty rescuer. He sent His Son to rescue you, me and everyone by dying on the cross conquering not only sin but death. Think of that. There is nothing, not even death that will keep you from the loving arms of Jesus. Nothing!

If you are living in a fiery furnace today remember this: God is more than able to rescue you from your suffering. Do you believe that God will rescue you? The hard reality is, even if He does not rescue your from your suffering, you are still victorious in Jesus. All believers are victorious through the cross. Death and sin are conquered. Victory is already won!

REV. JOHN MOXLEY can be reached at Jmoxley1@juno.com