We think of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They could have delivered themselves from harm by praying insincerely to the golden image of King Nebuchadnezzar. Instead they chose the way of patient endurance in the Lord.

This was their hour of testing, of trial, of temptation. Would they deliver themselves by cooperating with the world? Or would they keep the word of Christ's patience?

Because these three young Hebrew men chose to wait patiently for God, the Lord Jesus blessed and enlarged their understanding and possession of Himself by walking with them in the flames, keeping them from being burned.

Our mind goes back to the patient, suffering Jeremiah. He endured many years of persecution at the hands of those who claimed to be the Lord's people, who believed they were the seed of Abraham, but who actually were of the "synagogue of Satan" (compare Jeremiah, Chapters 20 and 28; Revelation 3:9).

But Jeremiah kept the word of Christ's patience. Therefore the Lord watched over him to protect him when the Babylonians entered Jerusalem.

The same patient keeping of God's Word has been true of Abraham, of Joseph, of David, of Ezekiel, of the Apostle Paul, and of all the other prophets and apostles of the Lord. They are to us an example of the patient suffering of affliction. But they abode safely "under the shadow of the Almighty."

Keeping the word of Christ's patience means we hold steady day after day, week after week, year after year in circumstances that are not always desirable and pleasant.

We are to stand firmly and cheerfully (as we are able) in Christ's way of discipline and patience. If we seek to live in pleasure on the earth we must move away from the will of Christ, away from the word of His patience.

If we become weary of patiently waiting on the will of the Lord, then we leave Christ and attempt to bring about what we desire by means of our own self-seeking, our own wisdom and strength. If we become impatient and take matters into our own hands we become ineligible for the protection of Christ when the hour of testing comes "upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."

Patient endurance in the will of Christ is one of the major aspects of the Christian discipleship.

But how are we kept out of the hour of testing?

Notice the following:

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: (Luke 22:31)

The Lord Jesus did not promise Peter that Satan would not be permitted to have him, to sift him.

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. (Luke 22:32)

The Lord prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail in the hour of testing. And so with all of us. We are protected from the hour of testing by the intercession Christ makes for us before the Throne of God.

To be continued.