In Daniel 3 we read about the story of three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego thrown into a fiery furnace for not bowing down to an image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Let’s look a little closer to some key points in the full story:
They remained steadfast in their commitment to God. It started with the seemingly insignificant things, like not eating the unkosher delicacies everyone else was served and asked for a diet of vegetables and water. Or not allowing success and promotion to distract their allegiance. Or not assimilating to the culture around them in a foreign land, serving other “gods”.
Their practice of obedience in the “small" things God asked of them, prepared them for the blazing furnace moment. God strengthened them in His grace to boldly declare who they serve when their lives were at risk.
Daniel 3:16-18- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego surrendered completely to God- body, soul and spirit. They knew their God was able to deliver them…but even if He did not do what they expected, they knew there was NO OTHER GOD!
Ultimately, there was a 4th man in the fire and God delivered them. They were saved from the fiery furnace without even smelling like smoke. Seeing God move in the lives of His people was an effective testimony to Nebuchadnezzar. And our lives are meant to be the same.
2 Corinthians 3:2-3- You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
❤️ May this encourage you as it did me, to continue to be steadfast in our obedience and faith. Knowing our lives are a letter written to the people around us, not with ink on paper, but the Spirit of the Living God on human hearts. Our conviction to stand boldly in the face of adversity, compromise, persecution or temptation, we proclaim "There is NO OTHER GOD"! So, as we trust God in every situation knowing that there are eternal reasons for temporary trials, be thankful that we are truly in God’s hands the Savior of our souls! ~love u
