So it may not have worked out for you “this time” or “again”! Do you ever wonder what it may be that YOU are missing? Maybe you need to go about it a different way. Perhaps there may be some things YOU need to know! Are you willing to look deep inside and find out? I wouldn’t suggest that yoou do it alone, but let God be your guiding light into the darkness and despair of incomplete, heart breaking unfulfilled relationships! Did you know that there are over 400 new testament commandments for us to obey? We have so much learning yet to do! I mean consider Matthew 22:36-38, “the first and great commandment” according to Jesus our Lord. He wants us to know that HE wants the FIRST, most important relationship with us! while letting us know that its starting place shall be on the inside, involving the whole heart, soul and mind! You know how God works in man, from the top, down, inside out. You should also know that he requires us to approach HIM from the bottom, up, outside in.Think about that a minute! Our life long relationships must be based on what we learn in our relationship with God!

       In part, many virtues of a godly relationship are seen in the historical event of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace. I’ll explain as you read on. The world has re-interpreted that event as “my shack, your shack and a Winnabego searching for Mr. Ideal, having an ordeal, demanding a new deal!” I don’t think that needs much more explanation, do you? Those three Jewish boys understood what things in a relationship with God really mattered! This fact was evidenced from the inside, out, by the testimony of what King Nebuchadnezzar saw looking into the furnice and the way they lived their lives outwardly. What choices have YOU made or NOT made in YOUR  relationship with God? What standard dictates your choices and depth in this relationship? !Do you know the aspects God values in a relationship with you? Do you really know what your relationship with God lacks on YOUR part?  After all, how can we expect to have any kind of meaningful relationship with anyone if we can’t FIRST have a deep meaningful relationship with God? These are very hard questions worth careful consideration!

       Without getting into great detail of event mentioned above, lets extract some of the weightier matters of truth from the event. We must first consider their testimony of their relationship to God in chapter one of the book of Daniel. They just wouldn’t defile themselves with the king’s portion of food. They understood that what they chose to let into their bodies would have great influence on what came out. They realized the importance of maintaining a standard for God in their lives that was not negotiable, wouldn’t be compromised, nor could be broken by force of circumstance. They lived Matthew 22:36-38! They got the revelation that to remain under the shadow of his wings (as Psalm 17:7-9 and Psalm 57:1-3 speaks of, beautiful stuff!), they needed to surrender the direction of their desires in the flesh in order to receive the fulness of the strength in the Spirit required to make it through the roughest times in our lives (2 Corinthians 10:2-5, more elements of Matthew 22:36-38).

       By the time the event of the fiery furnace came up in their lives, they already had a proven, experienced track record of a relationship going on with God. NOTHING could separate them from their love for God (Romans 8:35-39)! Their love, trust, faith, obedience and understanding in God was of more value than their very own lives as is reflected in Daniel 3:17 & 18! We can see the roar of the lion (1 Peter 5:8) through king Nebuchadnezzar’s arrogancy in Daniel 3:14, 15 & 19! Even all of that could not force a breach in their relationship with God (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7)! In order for righteousness to live fervently in a godly relationship, the flesh must die (Daniel 3:22; St John 12:24 & 1 Corinthians 15:46)! When the king was finally able to look in on the evil deed he chose to impose upon the three Jewish boys and he realized that there were three thrown in, but witnessed four. I wonder what the conversation was about that the one likened unto the Son of God was having? Undeniable evidence of God’s relationship with you is something that this arrogant, idolatrous fiery furnace headed world needs to behold!