Daniel 1-3, 6
Jeremiah 29-31

Have you every heard of a Magic Eye book? It’s a book filled with pictures that don’t really look like anything. But here’s the trick: if you look at each page just right, there is a hidden image inside of it. Some people say cross your eyes to find what is hiding, while others say to stare intently at it until something revealed. What works best for me is to move in close and then step back to see the small details and bigger picture.

The book of Daniel has some of the most memorable stories from the Bible. My personal favorite is the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. This is a chapter that reveals the big picture of God’s faithfulness. You can see this faithfulness by stepping back to reveal the small details of what happened.

Here’s a quick recap: Israel is in captivity and a king named Nebuchadnezzar is ruling over one of the biggest kingdoms in the world. King Nebby knows he is important. He really likes himself and he loves when people listen to him. So he makes a 90ft high gold statue and tells everyone to bow down and worship it. As far as we know everyone listens… except three people: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These three guys don’t worship statues, people, or things. They worship one person: God. And no one is going to change that.

King Nebuchadnezzar was furious. It was the kind of mad where you just can’t think straight any more! So he orders a furnace that was likely used for melting metal to be heated as hot as possible. Then he has the three God followers tied up and thrown into the fire. This, Nebuchadnezzar thought, would teach all people to obey what he says. 

Except something unexpected happens. The three Jews who followed God didn’t burn up like everyone expected. In fact they were saved by God and walked out of the flaming hot furnace alive and well.

That’s the story, but some of the best details in the story are the smallest ones. Let’s step back and check them out.

In verse 25: After the men were tied up and thrown into the fire, Nebuchadnezzar looked in and said, “they are unbound and unharmed.” He also saw that there weren’t only three people, but four in the furnace! (Dan. 3:25)

In verse 27: When the three men walked out of the fire, all those watching noticed that “not a single hair on their head was burned”, “their clothes were not scorched”, and “there was not even a hint of fire smell on their bodies” (Dan. 3:27)

Can you see it? When you Step back and look at this you notice that God was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in this difficult moment! They survived the fire and the small details of how they were completely untouched show the level of God’s care for his people. God was in the fire completely covering them with safety in even the smallest ways. We can see this when we step back and notice all the details. 

Each of us will encounter some difficult moments in our lives: trials, temptations, grief and loss, maybe struggles with emotional or physical health… I want to encourage you to pause and take a step back in whatever you are experiencing in life right now. Remember that: “even though you walk through the darkest valleys, God is with you and he will comfort you.” (Ps 23:4)

Make a habit to pause and pray. Ask God to give you the ability to step back and see the small details of where and how He continues to be faithful and present in every moment of your life.