Fire, Lions and Submission

“He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”

Daniel 6:27

God’s timing seems to often come at the most inopportune times.

He could have directed Joshua to lead the children of Israel across the Jordan River in any one of the majority of months when it was just a trickle. Instead His timing was such that they found themselves being led across while it was at flood stage.

God’s “fullness of time” moments come so often is when it is impossible for man to take credit or come up with accurate solutions. The natural man doesn’t like being rescued at the last minute. We want an answer NOW, not later. We expect the new job a day after we lose the old one and the healing miracle moments after the doctor’s troubling report. Shadrach., Meshach and Abednego’s story is told in Daniel chapter three. We find their rescue came after they were thrown into the fiery furnace. Listen to the evidence of their submission to God in verses 17 and 18:

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able

to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.

But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty,

that we will not serve your gods or worship

the image of gold you have set up.”

The same is true of Daniels’ rescue from the Lion’s

den documented in Daniel chapter six.

God often seems to rescue us at the eleventh hour.

When all other options are exhausted and we have no ‘arm of man’ left to rescue us God shows up and receives the Glory that is due only to Him. The three Hebrew children and Daniel both evidenced a clear submission to God whether or not He delivered them. Their obedience and love for Him was not predicated on His performance on their behalf. True submission does likewise. True submission to the will of God follows through even when it seems God may or may not show up to bring us the answer or solution we need!