Scripture: Daniel 3:28
The Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
Observation: This verse takes place after King Nebuchadnezzar had decreed that all must fall down and worship an idol made from gold. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to worship the idol, knowing the king would have them bound and thrown into a fiery furnace if they did not. When they did not worship the idol, they were thrown into the fire. Instead of dying, another man was seen dancing among the flames with them. Nebuchadnezzar called the men out and saw that they had been unharmed. This caused him to believe in the sovereignty of the one true God.
Application: A few days ago I wrote about respecting authority. Perhaps this passage came up to remind us that respecting authority does not mean you should worship any god you are instructed to worship. Here, the three men were very clear in who they would and would not worship. Rather than just disobey the King’s decree they explained why they would not. And their testimony and God’s actions to spare their lives from the fire caused many to see the Lord’s strength.
I don’t think we are to test the Lord just for the sake of testing. And there will be times when believers will be harmed for worshipping our God. But we are to obey always. And in some instances like this, He will use us to proclaim his dominion. And in others, the victories will be seen later.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord for this reminder that you are sovereign. Please guide me in living for you alone. Alert me when I begin worshipping worldly gods and keep me on track to seek just your favor… even when things get heated, I want to trust completely in you. Thank you for guiding my walk and enabling my faith to grow.
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