But If Not, He's Still Good.

There's a story I've heard about three men who refused to worship another man.

This defiant three were believers of Abba-Yahweh, and couldn't bring themselves to worship anyone else. The desperate man, hungry for praise and idolization, was livid and shocked by the three's inability to comply, to conform, to step in line.

He commanded that they be burned alive in a great furnace as punishment for their rebellion.

This is what we're told they said in response to their death sentence:

"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to present a defense to you in this matter. If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up.'" (Daniel 3:16-18 NRSV).

The story goes on: the man, who was in fact a king, was furious and had them thrown into the hungry flames. He had the fire heated to 7x its normal temperature, and tied the three together with thick bindings to be sure they couldn't escape or move.

To his surprise, instead of screams of agony and repentance, pleas and cries for mercy and forgiveness, the king sees the three walking amongst the flames, unharmed. What's more, he sees an additional man walking with them. (The NRSV says in verse 25 that this fourth man had, "the appearance of a god.")

Ultimately, the three were not even singed - did not even smell of smoke - and the king was awed by their refusal to obey his whims, and by how their God walked with them in the flames.

Sometimes, if the fires don't consume us, they refine us. They give us an opportunity to walk closer with Christ the King. But then, sometimes, God doesn't show up in the flames the way we want Him to. Sometimes, we get burned and wonder where God was during our time of need.

When you're begging for God to show up and move, do you even consider the "But if not..."?

Some of us anticipate God's coming to save us with such certainty, that the thought that He wouldn't, doesn't even cross our minds. Still others of us secretly wonder if there's even a god to show up at all. We turn God into a genie or a business associate -- I want XYZ, you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours, quid-pro-quo. But what if we simply rested in the truth that God is still good, even if the flames threaten to consume us?

What if God is still good even when it hurts?

What if God is still good even when we grieve?

What if God is still good even though there are wars and genocide?

What if God is still good when we can't sleep due to anxiety?

What if God is still good when all we do is sleep due to depression?

Is it possible for a good God to coexist with pain and suffering?

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew that the fires were imminent if they refused to bow before a false king. They knew, too, that there was a possibility God wouldn't save them. They tell us "God is able to save us" BUT...

But if not... But if He doesn't... What comes next?

The NLT version translates it this way: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

God is able to save us, yes. BUT EVEN IF HE DOESN'T -- we still won't compromise. We won't bow down. We won't turn our backs on Him. We won't say He isn't good.

I don't believe in most platitudes, but "God works in mysterious ways" rings true, particularly in this season where we're reminded that Jesus -- Starbreather, Creator -- entered into the world the exact same way as the rest of us.

Mystery exists in our faith, not clear-cut answers. This is challenging for a people who demands answers about everything.

The truth is that we may have another in the fire with us, or we may not. But that doesn't erase the fact that God is still good, and you and I must hold fast to that truth. It's a hard truth to grasp, sometimes.

To be clear: you're allowed to be angry with God. You're allowed to question and wonder and doubt. (Rachel Held Evans once said something to the effect of 'If you don't have questions about the bible (or God) then you may not be paying attention!' and I tend to agree.) God is big enough for your doubts. He's big enough for the questions. He's big enough for your anger.

But during our seasons of wondering and anger with Him, that doesn't mean He still isn't a good, loving God. That doesn't mean we shut down and give up.

It may be hard to think of all the ways our world is on fire right now. It may be even harder to choose to believe that God is good despite this.

I leave you with these scriptures to meditate on -- to sit with, to dwell on -- today. May they bless you and soothe your aching, burnt heart like a cool salve. May they bring you comfort even if you struggle to believe them.

• The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows those who take refuge in Him. -Nahum 1:7

• Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. -Psalm 27:13-14

• But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law. -Galatians 5:22-23

• The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, "Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness." - Exodus 34:6