May 22

In Isaiah 43:2, God promises that those who submit to his refining fire will not be harmed by it: "When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned."

Daniel's companions were not burned by the literal fire into which they were thrown. The promise of Isaiah 43:2 does not mean that you and I and every other child of God will always do the same, never feel the flames of whatever it is that God allows us to go through.

The great faith chapter, Hebrews 11, lists many who were delivered in their trials, and many who seemingly were not. But they really were delivered, just in a different way, through death, which is not defeat for God's children but victory.

No, what the Isaiah passage promises is that our soul will not be burned -- the same promise found in Revelation, when it says that those in Christ cannot be harmed by the second death and its fire (Rev. 20:6).

So often, the world looks only at the physical side of things, and so it fails to understand the spiritual reality to which Scripture refers. If we are in Christ, you and I can never be harmed by any fire that comes our way, whether it be trials in this world or the final lake of fire of God's judgment.

Scripture for today: Revelation 20:1-10
Thought for today: The fires of this world prepare us to escape the fire of the next.
Prayer for today: Thank you, Jesus, for delivering me from the horrible fires of hell and the lake of fire.

MAY 22