What Faithfulness Looks Like
Peter Cafarelli
Bruce Lee once said: “Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.”
Somewhere along the line we got the idea this life could be easy. That God delivered us from the world and all its’ suffering without pain or trouble. We find ourselves in places we never thought we’d be, having conversations with people we never thought we’d have, about things that honestly seems like it was out of a sci-if movie; and it effects us the same as it does everyone else. Now what?
The idea of deliverance and being free as a result of our salvation through Christ is a key part of our experience as believers. Our understanding of what that looks like and really means can be something else entirely. More often than not, God delivers us through the trouble; rarely out of it.
In Daniel chapter 3, we find the three Hebrews, friends of Daniel’s, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who chose to be faithful to God and not bow to the idol and call the king a god. A law was made and the three Hebrews still would not bow. This is where their trouble started. Their faithfulness to the LORD got them jailed and ready to be killed.
The furnace was set to be seven times hotter than normal. Understand this is a kiln. The type used to harden clay vessels, jars, bricks, and smelt precious metals. They were used to dispose of the dead so since there was a place for the king to see into the top down into the furnace, this may have been where they burned their human sacrifices in worship to Baal. Soldiers died just opening the door to throw them in. The three Hebrews were given the chance to bow to the king before they were to be thrown in. What’s Faithfulness look like?
Daniel 3:17-18 - I’ll paraphrase: “If our God exists, he will rescue us from the fire and you. Even if He doesn’t, we still won’t worship you or your gods”
From his perch the king saw four men in the fire. God met them in the midst of the fire. He did not deliver them out of it. God supported and was faithful in meeting them and helping to make the three Hebrews even stronger. Just like the jars. Just like the earthen vessels who hold great treasures. It is where the silver and gold are refined. It’s where you figure out if what you have is worth anything.
Revelation 21:7 refers to those who conquer/overcome as having an inheritance of that of a child of the King of the Universe: “He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and i will be his God for he will be My son.”
The light of the world is rooted in faithfulness.
Be the light on a hill.
Pete-
Peter Cafarelli was born in New York and migrated to Florida at the age of 15. After years of addiction, and dropping out of high school, he had an encounter with God on a Damascus Road experience which helped to redirect Peter to the Lord and the call to ministry. He is a graduate of Southeastern University with a B.A. in Pastoral and Counseling ministry. He is an ordained minister with The Covenant Center.
Now residing in Lakeland, FL, Peter teaches classes for CovenantU and regularly speaks in our Sunday meetings. He also has a heart for youth and often facilitates Sunday Youth Meetings.
Blog: petercafarelli.wordpress.com
Contact: info@thecovenantcenter.com