The following post was a note that I entered in my Bible as I read Daniel 3:1-30, the account of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego when they refused to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. This command to worship was to be the response for all the peoples in his kingdom whenever they heard “the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipes” or ant other kind of music.  

While recovering from an extremely painful surgery, wherein I spent many hours either silent or in tears, my husband began singing to me songs of the Christian faith.

When I heard him singing (when I heard the sound of music), I was reminded of the comforting biblical truths they expressed and that sparked in me a response of quietly singing with him.

At the moment I began to sing with my husband, a flood of pain-relieving tears poured from my eyes. In worship of my God and King - the true God, not a false manmade god - the pain in my body fled. Now I wept with joy for the goodness and compassion of my Lord’s acknowledgement of my love for Him, expressed in my worship at a time when worshipping Him was the last thing on my mind.

And we see this also with the three Israelite men who were cast into the fiery furnace. The difference was that at the sound of the music, rather than fall to worship a false god, they remained standing by faith, committed to worship only Yahweh.

That was a worshipful response and for it they were cast into the fiery furnace. But in that dreadful place, I’m sure like Paul and Silas in the Roman jail, their worship became very vocal. Whether that was prayer or singing or both, their reward was the visitation by a fourth man, the Lord Himself, who prevented the fire from harming them and literally walked in the now-quelled danger with them.

What divine and amazing rewards the Lord pours forth when we worship Him in the most difficult, painful and even dangerous experiences of our lives. At the sound of our praise and worship, which is music to His ears, He sends forth protection, relief, freedom and peace.

We see His protection from death here in Daniel. We see His rescue from physical bondage in the Roman prison when Paul & Silas worshipped in song. And I experienced relief from excruciating pain when my mind, controlled by suffering, turned to worship.

And now I begin to understand how those who have been martyred - lit on fire and burned on a stake for their faith - have been able to enter God’s presence, joyfully worshipping in song. as the fire consumed them.

They knew the divine power that Yahweh releases to rescue one from physical suffering when that suffering isn’t what is preeminent in their minds. Rather it is how God will use their suffering for His glory and in that they revel as they are empowered to worship Him even in the danger and/or pain. Their suffering is then transcended by His glorious presence as He walks with them in it just like He did in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

But there's something of even greater significance

However, these truths are, they not the most astounding as far as human suffering is concerned. As I thought about the grace that God gives His children, I realized that He did not give this same grace to His own Son on the cross.

Jesus went to the cross to bear the wrath of God that I as a sinner deserved. In His suffering there on the tree, He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).

Jesus could not cry out to His Father for help in His great distress for His Father had, in fact, turned away from Him. This is because He became sin, who knew no sin for me. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21).

As one who had no use for the Creator, the full weight of the suffering that I should have experienced, without any relief, without help from the throne of grace (which I am now promised) fell on Jesus. This truly is the most startling truth concerning human suffering. Jesus, God in the flesh, was denied this grace so that I can now experience it.

These truths realized create in me a humility, a desire to think less selfishly about my own suffering and recognize therein my Savior’s agonizing physical, emotional and spiritual pain on the cross for which He was denied relief.

I now long to lift my voice in worshipful gratitude in every opportunity that my suffering provides. And of course with every breath that is free of suffering also.

“As the deer panteth for the water,
So my soul longeth after Thee
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship Thee
You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship Thee
You're my friend and You are my brother
Even though You are a King
And I love You more than any other
So much more than anything
You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship Thee
How I long to worship Thee, yeah
You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship Thee”

 

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Sharon Kaufman

Jesus Christ has been my Savior since 1975. Robert, the wonderful man that God provided to love me has been my husband for 48 of those years. We have five grown children, with children of their own. Of course, that means that we have grandchildren - ten to be exact, and nine great-grandchildren with another one on the way. I have been a stay-at-home mom, sometimes helping to supplement the income from within the home. Now I am a stay-at-home grandmother. Jesus Christ has been my guide and keeper and I have found, in all the trials, heartbreaks and good times that He just keeps getting sweeter and sweeter as the years roll by. My future is secure and I look forward to eternity in the presence of my Creator, Redeemer and King.