reflecting: the ryder's

if you've been reading our little blog you likely know that our friend, libby fought through cancer this past year.  i had the pleasure of writing out a little bit of how that affected me/us - witnessing their faithfulness & God's goodness for her to post.  if you'd like to take a look visit libby's blog {HERE}.  even if you don't want to read my long-winded-ness at least go check out their story, you will undoubtedly be encouraged.

one extra thought that i didn't include there but really weighed on me after i wrote that was this:

in the past few weeks we've read through daniel 3 a couple times.  we've focused on different aspects of the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego but one part stood out to me so distinctly.  in case you don't know, here's the jest: their king had erected an image of gold that everyone was to bow down and worship throughout the country.  these three men were confident that their God, our God, was the only one worthy of worship & refused to bow to the golden idol.  to the king this disobedience deserved death in a blazing furnace, so he called the men in to deliver their fate.

daniel 3:13-18
^"Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

their response:  we know that our God is more than able to save us {rescue us or heal us} but even if he does not - he is still God and he's the only one worthy of our praise.

that reminded me of libby & justin during cancer, during treatment.  full trust & confidence that God is more than able to bring a miracle but should he not, should their story turn out differently - he is still worthy of praise.