The world is alluring to every new altruistic generation. They believe they are going to correct the wrongs of society and set things right. The Monterey pop music festival documentary from the late 1960’s showed many new musicians, who brought a new vibe and changed the course of the music world. Their free wheeling, hard-driving music was exciting and bold. Unfortunately, most of the musicians didn’t survive the next five years, dying from complications of drugs.
Two paths lie before us: the wide road of the world and the difficult-to-find path of life. As it is written in Matthew 7: 13-14, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it."
The wide road offers hedonistic rewards to those desiring to put themselves first. When young singers were asked why they were auditioning on a popular talent show, many responded they’ve wanted to be a star ‘all their life.' Their whole countenance was directed to that one thing and nothing else mattered. They were willing to sacrifice to that end goal and push everything else aside for fleeting worldly success.
Just think if all that energy put into their earthly goal were put into seeking the author of Life through Messiah, Jesus. He says in Matthew 10:39 (ESV), "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
A great example of how God protected three men, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (otherwise known as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) who put their complete trust in Him during a trial and came out without even a cinder on themselves is found in Daniel 3:27-28, (ESV):
"And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, 'Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.'"
They decided in their heart, to worship only the one true God and put their trust in Him. There are two types of furnace. One says do it on your own, as you throw yourself into the smelting pot of the world; the other is Jesus opening his arms to you and inviting you into the refining furnace of God.
May you give honor proper and befitting to the LORD God, who holds out His hand to you today.
Blessings to you,
Nancy