Daniel 3:16-18, 28 (NIV) - “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up’…Then Nebuchadnezzar said, ‘Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has 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.’”

The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the book of Daniel is remarkable. These three young men displayed courageous faith and devotion to the one true God when faced with a decree to worship the image made by Nebuchadnezzar or face death. They chose to worship God rather than men, and they experienced God’s protection and salvation powerfully.

We may not face a fiery furnace in choosing to worship God, but we are challenged to consider how these three young men chose the fiery furnace and death rather than worship an idol. To them, to worship an idol was worse than death. Do we see the seriousness of worshipping idols?

Let’s ask the Lord to teach us to live in total devotion to the Lord without compromise.

-DP