Friday, December 15, 2006

fiery furnace

But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, "Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?" They replied to the king, "Certainly, O king."

He said, "Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!" (Daniel 3:23-25)

As I reflect on my times in the fiery furnace over the past two years, two words come to the forefront of my mind - freedom and revelation.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were bound when they fell into the furnace. After the fire had accomplished its purpose, they were free!

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego entered the furnace as three men alone together. Then Jesus showed up, "walking about in the midst of the fire" WITH them - Immanuel revealed!

Don't you just love the ways of the Lord? The fire that we think will utterly destroy us actually releases us into His glorious freedom and enables us to see Him more clearly. AND He doesn't just stand on the sidelines, guiding us from a distance. He gets into the midst of the fire WITH us. What did David say? "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are WITH me" (Psalm 23:4).

"When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you." (Isaiah 43:2)

- Lindsay

Live free! Live in Daddy's affection!

Sunday, December 10, 2006

short answer

While completing a questionnaire last night, I was asked to describe my religion. Here's my answer -

"It's all about relationship, not religion; following a Person, not principles; living from the heart, not by rules and regulations; loving and accepting, not judging and criticizing. Church is a people, not a building or a meeting."

How would you describe your "religion" in 40 words or less?

- Lindsay

Live free! Live in Daddy's affection!

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

the debate

In its November 13, 2006 issue, TIME magazine featured a "God vs. Science" debate between Christian genome pioneer Francis Collins and Oxford atheist Richard Dawkins. Last week, TIME published several letters in response to the debate. Below are two letters that rang true:

"Scientists will not find God unless they think outside the box, as Collins has done. Faith and miracles, so central to Christian thought, are anathema to the scientific method, as Dawkins reaffirms. 'Why am I here?' and 'Is there a God?' are questions that cannot be answered by science. God comes to those who have the insight to think in another dimension and have the wisdom of a child."

John S. Mackiewicz, Professor Emeritus, Biological Sciences
State University of New York, Albany, New York

"Science and religion seemingly cannot coexist because religion is all about the past and science is all about the future. Scientists and theologians need to stop making the mistake of equating the concept of God with religious doctrines. Every scientific breakthrough reinforces my belief that God cannot be contained by the confines of religion or science."

June Dordal
Moorhead, Minnesota

Live free! Live in Daddy's affection!