Jesus Is the Answer

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

I'm Mike Whitmer and I title today's devotion, Jesus is the Answer. The tale is told that after yet another stop on Albert Einstein's lecture tour, his chauffeur mentioned that he'd heard enough of the speech that he could give it. Einstein suggested they switch places at the next college as no one there had seen his picture. The chauffeur agreed and delivered a fine lecture. Then came the question and answer period. To one aggressive inquirer, the chauffeur replied, I can see you're a brilliant professor, but I'm surprised you would ask a question so simple that even my chauffeur could answer it. Then his chauffeur, Albert Einstein himself, did answer it.

So ends the fun but fictional story. In Daniel chapter 3, Daniel's courageous three friends were truly on the hot seat. King Nebuchadnezzar threatened to throw them into a blazing furnace if they didn't worship his idol. He asked, what god will be able to rescue you from my hand? Their friends still refused to bow, so the king heated the furnace seven times hotter and had them tossed in.

They didn't go alone. An angel, perhaps Jesus himself, joined them in the fire, keeping them from harm and providing an undeniable answer to the king's question. Nebuchadnezzar praised the god of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and conceded that no other god can save in this way. At times we may feel in over our heads, but Jesus stands with those who serve him.

He'll carry us. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Daniel chapter 3, verses 15-28. When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand? Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 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. Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar leapt to his feet in amazement and asked his advisors, weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?

They replied, certainly, your majesty. He said, look, I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like the son of the gods. Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, come here. So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisors crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed. Their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. Then Nebuchadnezzar said, praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants.

They trusted in him and defied the king's command, and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own god. Let us pray. Lord Jesus, You are the answer when there seems to be no answer. You are the way when there seems to be no way. It is in Your name we pray, amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.