The Personal Presence of the Living God

The Church’s Lectionary in the West, gives us two readings today that I would like to reflect upon briefly. The first is from Daniel (3:14-20, 91-92, 95) and its part of the scene where King Nebuchadnezzar sends the three youths into the fiery furnace because they will not fall down and worship the false god the king has created for himself. The second is from the Gospel of John (8:31-42). There our Lord himself says these very powerful words for us to think about and live by, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (8:31-32)

When we bring these two readings together we get the story of a God who is faithful to his people and at the same time this faithfulness requires in return our faithfulness. The three youths will not bow down to the false gods of their time, just as we should not bow down and worship the false god’s who make themselves manifest through our own sins. This is just what we do when we sin, we take the worship that is due to our true Lord and King Jesus and give it to another lifeless passion or possession. But what if we do fall, which each of us will, what then? This is where to power, and presence of our loving God comes into the picture. He comes to us like the Fourth Man who came into the fiery furnace, that had been heated seven times its normal heat and delivered the three youths from their bondage. This is what God does for us also. When we find ourselves in the fire of sin and idolatry. When we get ourselves in a hot mess and cannot seem to find a way out. When we ask and pray for help, the faithful God who said, “the truth will set you free”, will come to our rescue each and every time. This is the confidence that we have as disciples of Jesus Christ.

I to find it very reassuring that while God does desire us to be “perfect”, he is also seeking the faithful and determined disciples, those who are lead more by faith, then the desire for perfection. As St. Paul tells us in Romans, “For he will render to every man according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.” (2:6-7) Let us therefore seek God daily. To put into practice what Jesus tells us, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples.” (John 8:31) He will not leave us in despair, but he is there beside us as he was in the furnace with the youths. Our God in not far away but is present to us, upon our lips and in our hearts.