Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not worried about what will happen to us. If we are thrown into the flaming furnace, our God is able to deliver us; and he will deliver us out of your hand, Your Majesty. But if he doesn’t, please understand, sir, that even then we will never under any circumstance serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have erected.”
A message of defiance from the three young men called to serve in the courts of the king after their country had been besieged, destroyed and burnt to the ground. For the records, this was no ordinary king too. King Nebuchadnezzar was a violent and blood thirsty ruler who ruled his subjects with an iron fist.
Thousands of years later, the battle rages on and the intensity of the fire is hotter. The idols of this world stand tall against the presence of the all powerful, but invisible God. People are being compelled to; Bow to cultural or social norms or Burn, Bow to money or Burn, Bow to pornography or Burn, Bow to popular opinion or Burn, Bow to atheism or Burn, Bow to science or Burn, Bow to sexual “freedom” or Burn, Bow to excessive consumption or Burn, Bow to drugs, Bow to self or hero worship, Bow to greed or Burn… And many are wearied-out, their heads slump forward, and they bow as time passes on.
In the words of Peter to friends just like you and I, he encouraged with these words;
I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.
So lets keep a steady head and our feet on the ground, it will all be over soon!
~ Sabali
Healingsprings fellowship 