September 3, 2025 Devo

Wanda and I watched the Sight & Sound production of “Daniel” this weekend on television. If you’ve seen a Sight & Sound show, they are amazing. They are unbelievable when you watch them live at the theaters in Branson, MO, or Lancaster, PA. But even the televised versions are great.
One of the parts in “Daniel” that hit me hard was the scene of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego getting thrown into the fiery furnace. It reminded me of a hard truth: God doesn’t always spare us from trouble, even when we’re doing what He asks us to do. The three Hebrews were strong in their faith. They refused to bow to the king’s idol. But instead of being honored for doing right, the king had them thrown into the fire. When the king looked in to see them being consumed, he was stunned. There was a FOURTH MAN in the fire! And the three came out unhurt and without even a hint of smoke. God was with them.
But it hit me today when I read our passage, God is ALWAYS with us in the fire. “I will be with them in trouble,” is the promise God makes to each of us. No, He doesn’t say we’ll all experience a miracle like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did. But He does promise that He’ll always be that “fourth man in the fire.” He will always go with us. He’ll always be there when trouble comes. Yes, we sometimes get burned. Yes, sometimes the trouble will be hard to endure. Yes, there will be times God won’t spare us the struggle, the pain, or even being consumed. But He does promise His presence, no matter where we find ourselves. And He will get us out, or He will see us through. What He WON’T do is abandon us.
Are you in your own fiery furnace right now? Is trouble beating down your door? Then read our verse for today once more. “When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble.” No matter where you are or what you’re going through, God is right there with you every step of the way. Cry out to Him and you’ll see for yourself. He’ll be the “fourth man in the fire” for YOU! That’s God’s Word for you today.