28 Oktober 2024
Bacaan Hari ini:
Daniel 3:28 "Berkatalah Nebukadnezar: "Terpujilah Allahnya Sadrakh, Mesakh dan Abednego! Ia telah mengutus malaikat-Nya dan melepaskan hamba-hamba-Nya, yang telah menaruh percaya kepada-Nya, dan melanggar titah raja, dan yang menyerahkan tubuh mereka, karena mereka tidak mau memuja dan menyembah allah manapun kecuali Allah mereka."
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Cara Anda menangani rasa sakit adalah sebuah kesaksian yang luar biasa untuk dunia. Ketika Anda percaya kepada Tuhan meskipun di tengah penderitaan, itu akan mengarahkan mereka yang tak percaya kepada-Nya.
Sejujurnya, Anda dan saya tidak begitu banyak menjadi saksi Kristus ketika hidup kita baik-baik saja. Siapa pun dapat melayani Tuhan selama masa tersebut. Tapi lain cerita di masa sulit.
Ingat kisah tiga sahabat Daniel yang dilemparkan ke dalam perapian yang menyala-nyala? Mereka tetap percaya kepada Allah, dan Dia menyelamatkan mereka dengan cara yang ajaib.
Ketiga sahabat ini mengesankan raja dengan iman mereka. Dan raja tersebut adalah kaisar yang paling berkuasa pada zaman itu.
Raja Nebukadnezar berkata, "Terpujilah Allahnya Sadrakh, Mesakh dan Abednego! Ia telah mengutus malaikat-Nya dan melepaskan hamba-hamba-Nya, yang telah menaruh percaya kepada-Nya, dan melanggar titah raja, dan yang menyerahkan tubuh mereka, karena mereka tidak mau memuja dan menyembah allah manapun kecuali Allah mereka" (Daniel 3:28).
Sang raja mengakui bahwa ketiga sahabat ini tanpa ragu-ragu rela menentang perintahnya dan mempertaruhkan nyawa mereka karena mereka percaya kepada Allah.
Bila Anda tahu apa yang membuat Anda rela mati, saat itulah Anda benar-benar hidup. Iman yang demikian akan memberikan Anda keberanian di tengah pencobaan.
Ada beberapa pohon yang hanya tumbuh setelah kebakaran hutan, termasuk pohon pinus jack di Amerika Utara. Benih-benihnya berada di dalam cangkangnya dengan sangat rapat sehingga tidak akan keluar kecuali jika ada terik matahari. Setelah panas melelehkan getahnya, barulah benih dapat jatuh ke tanah dan berkecambah. Tanpa panas matahari, proses ini tidak akan terjadi.
Hal yang sama juga berlaku bagi kita.
Terkadang Tuhan membawa kehidupan baru bagi orang lain sebab mereka melihat kita tetap memercayai-Nya meski lewat kesengsaraan.
Jika di situlah Anda berada sekarang—berada di tengah kemelut—Anda tidak perlu mencari tahu semua jawabannya. Tetaplah percaya pada Tuhan. Beri tahu Tuhan sekarang juga bahwa Anda percaya Dia ada menyertai Anda, bahwa Dia mengasihi Anda, dan bahwa Dia bekerja untuk kebaikan Anda.
Renungkan hal ini:
- Kapan Anda menjadi lebih dekat kepada Tuhan darimelihat bagaimana orang lain menanggapi penderitaan mereta?
- Apa beberapa hal yang membuat Anda bersedia mati untuk itu?
- Mengapa sering kali kita menjadi saksi Allah yang lebih baik di saat-saat sulit, dibanding di saat-saat baik?
Bacaan Alkitab Setahun :
Ratapan 1-3; I Timotius 2
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Mintalah bantuan Tuhan. Namun, jangan menunggu jawaban-Nya untuk mulai percaya bahwa Dia akan membawa Anda keluar dari penderitaan. Janganlah juga menunda untuk mulai menceritakan kebaikan-Nya kepada orang lain, bahkan di tengahkemelut sekalipun.
(Diterjemahkan dari Daily Devotional by Rick Warren)
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God Brings New Life Out of the Fire
By Rick Warren
"Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God." Daniel 3:28 (NIV)
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How you handle pain is a great witness to the world. When you trust God in spite of suffering, you'll point unbelievers to him.
Frankly, you and I aren't much of a witness when life is good. Anyone can serve God during those times. But tough times are a different story.
Remember the story of Daniel's friends being tossed into the fire? They trusted God, and he rescued them in a miraculous manner.
These guys impressed the king with their faith. And the king was the most powerful leader of that time.
The king said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God" (Daniel 3:28 NIV).
King Nebuchadnezzar recognized that these guys were willing to defy his order and risk death because they trusted God.
When you know what you're willing to die for, that's when you're truly living. That kind of conviction will give you courage in the middle of the fire.
There are some trees that only sprout after a forest fire, including the jack pine tree of North America. The seeds are in the cones so tightly that they won't come out unless intense heat comes along. After heat melts the resin, the seed is able to drop and germinate. Without heat, this process wouldn't happen.
The same is true with us.
These guys impressed the king with their faith. And the king was the most powerful leader of that time.
The king said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God" (Daniel 3:28 NIV).
King Nebuchadnezzar recognized that these guys were willing to defy his order and risk death because they trusted God.
When you know what you're willing to die for, that's when you're truly living. That kind of conviction will give you courage in the middle of the fire.
There are some trees that only sprout after a forest fire, including the jack pine tree of North America. The seeds are in the cones so tightly that they won't come out unless intense heat comes along. After heat melts the resin, the seed is able to drop and germinate. Without heat, this process wouldn't happen.
The same is true with us.
Sometimes God brings new life to others because they see us trust him through the fire.
If that's where you are right now—going through the fire—you don't have to figure it all out before you trust God. You can tell him right now that you believe he is with you, that he loves you, and that he is working for your good.
Ask him for help. But don't wait for his answer to start trusting that he will bring you through the fire. And don't wait to start telling others about his goodness—even in the middle of the fire.
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