“Do me a favour and start the barbecue, would you please?”, Brian said from the kitchen.

Silence.

“Mona, would you please start the barbecue?”, he repeated.

“I heard you but I am not sure I should”, I replied. The ignitor no longer worked on our ancient barbecue and I had watched Brian more than once come dangerously close to burning off the remaining hairs on his head.

“You’ve seen me do it, please light it”, he said getting a little frustrated.

“Yes, I have seen you do it, that’s why I don’t want to. But fine.” And off I went, lighter in hand.

I repeated the steps I had watched Brian perform so many times. Except I missed one step — move away quickly.

I went back into the house… with only one eyebrow. I reported, “The barbecue is lit”.

That was the last time I lit a barbecue, Brian tells me that was over ten years ago!

Have you ever been dangerously close to fire? Some fires we experience are not literal, they are the tough stuff in life and we’ve all been there.

In Daniel chapter 3, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego experienced a literal fire because they refused to dishonour God. King Nebuchadnezzar was so furious by their actions that he had them thrown into a blazing furnace - he was attempting to burn more than their eyebrows!

But God was with them in the midst of the heat and fire.

They were thrown in bound up and came out unbound and unburned. The three boys experienced the power of God that even King Nebuchadnezzar could not deny. He was amazed!

Here’s the thing, and we already know this, we are going to face fiery, often hot and difficult situations in life — relationship fires, job fires, financial fires— and when we are overcome and surrounded by the heat, flames, burdens, and circumstances of life, we need to trust and rely on God!

God never promised that His children would have a life without trials and times of hardship. God did say that He will never leave us or forsake us and nothing can separate us from His love. (Check out Romans 8:35-39).

No matter what fire you are facing today, trust in God. As you continue to stand firm in your faith those around you — like King Nebuchadnezzar — will be amazed at the power of God working in your life.