«Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up’ » (Daniel 3:16-18).
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW what «bulletproof’ faith is? You need not go very far to find it, because it is in today’s Bible passage.
Lets first remember the scene. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down to the golden statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up in the plain of Dura. That action is not only a sign of insubordination, but also of disrespect toward the king and his gods; and its consequence is immediate death in a fiery furnace. When full of anger, the king has them brought before him, he threatens them directly:
«Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?» (Daniel 3:14, 15, NLT).
The king’s words are, in fact, a death decree. How do «the three of them» reply? First, they make it plain that their God is powerful enough to deliver them from the fiery furnace. Second, they insinuate that their God is sovereign, which means He might choose not to deliver them. And third (this is the final blow), they categorically state that, even if God does not deliver them, under no circumstances will they worship the golden statue.
There it is! «Bulletproof” faith. In fact, faith that can withstand anything. It is a faith that allows us to remain faithful to God even when we are not granted what we asked Him; that keeps us standing for the right «though the heavens fall;» faith that drives us to keep loving God, even if it costs us our lives.
What do the three young Hebrews teach us through their incredible act of faith? That God does not have to heal my illness, or help me find my dream job, for me to believe in Him. That He does not have to solve my problems for me to know He loves me. In short, no matter what happens, my faithfulness to God will remain firm, because I trust that He will always give me what is best for me, even if I do not understand it at the time.
Dear Lord, I want to love You, not because of the favors You grant me, but because of how much You love me. Please help me to trust in You, even if I do not always understand why certain things happen.
#AdultsDevotional
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2022
“GREAT IS OUR GOD!”
From: FERNANDO ZABALA
Collaborators: Xiomara Perdomo & Angelica Cuate
