Christianity Today: Panic is Profitable, by Timothy Dalrymple (President & CEO, Christianity Today):
We live in an age of anxiety. Family pocketbooks and calendars are stretched to the breaking point. We worry for our children, then worry our children worry too much. We fear for the integrity of the church, for the political fabric of our society; we fear wars and pestilence, climate change and social change—and then we add anxiety atop anxiety, worrying about things over which we have little or no control.
The media landscape makes matters worse. Blazing headlines about crises scroll across our computer screens and mobile phones. Loudness is lucrative. Panic is profitable. Viciousness goes viral. We find ourselves in a public square filled with caricature artists and conflict entrepreneurs, fear peddlers and scorn merchants who flood the marketplace with counterfeits that make them rich and bankrupt the culture.
There are genuine causes for anxiety. But Scripture provides perspective.
For as long as I can remember, my favorite part of the biblical story of the fiery furnace has been what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said before they were thrown into the flames. Hauled in front of Nebuchadnezzar for their refusal to worship him and his gods, they proclaimed, “The God we serve is able to deliver us from [the furnace], and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.” Then comes the best part: “But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (Dan. 3:17–18).
Presumably, the three Hebrew men were afraid. They were not superheroes in capes. The Scriptures present flesh-and-blood human beings with all their flaws and frailty. While their fear was natural, they kept their fears rightly ordered. Their faith overpowered their fear.
They trusted in the power of God. While they knew God was able to deliver them, actual deliverance was dependent on God’s will. They did not pretend to know the mind of God or precisely what the future would be. This led to their famous words: “But even if he does not” save their bodies, they will remain faithful to him. …
The path before us is uncertain. We trust God delivers his people but do not know whether that deliverance will come in this world or the next. We resolve that whatever happens, even if God does not deliver us in this life, we will remain faithful and true to our convictions. Against all hope, in hope we believe. We trust. We endure.
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