Day 339: Daniel 3-4; 1 John 3
"Dear friends, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive whatever we ask from him because we keep his commands and do what is pleasing in his sight." (1 John 3:21-22, CSB)
As I reread the story of the fiery furnace (Daniel 3), I was struck by the vast gulf between Nebuchadnezzar's view of God and Who God really is. If anyone defied God, Nebuchadnezzar would have them torn limb from limb and thrown into the garbage dump (v.29). How different is the mercy and grace of God that made the 'three brave men' respond as they did to the death sentence of the king (vv.16-18). They had an intimate and personal relationship with the God who walks through the fire with His children (Isaiah 43:2). Jump ahead to 1 John 3. Talk about intimacy! If our hearts do not condemn us in the presence of God...only by love, mercy and grace (reread vv.1-3)...this is confidence in that marvelous love we have encountered for we know Jesus by His Spirit within us. Now in our knowing Him, living in deep surrender, loving in ways we cannot love on our own, we can ask and receive out of that sweet fellowship. It delights the heart of God to answer such asking. O. Hallesby writes about such prayer: "[It is] free, spontaneous, vital fellowship between the created person and the Personal Creator, in which Life touches life." Come confidently, reverently, boldly to the throne of God today. He is your Abba Father and you are His beloved child.
As I reread the story of the fiery furnace (Daniel 3), I was struck by the vast gulf between Nebuchadnezzar's view of God and Who God really is. If anyone defied God, Nebuchadnezzar would have them torn limb from limb and thrown into the garbage dump (v.29). How different is the mercy and grace of God that made the 'three brave men' respond as they did to the death sentence of the king (vv.16-18). They had an intimate and personal relationship with the God who walks through the fire with His children (Isaiah 43:2). Jump ahead to 1 John 3. Talk about intimacy! If our hearts do not condemn us in the presence of God...only by love, mercy and grace (reread vv.1-3)...this is confidence in that marvelous love we have encountered for we know Jesus by His Spirit within us. Now in our knowing Him, living in deep surrender, loving in ways we cannot love on our own, we can ask and receive out of that sweet fellowship. It delights the heart of God to answer such asking. O. Hallesby writes about such prayer: "[It is] free, spontaneous, vital fellowship between the created person and the Personal Creator, in which Life touches life." Come confidently, reverently, boldly to the throne of God today. He is your Abba Father and you are His beloved child.
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