Uh-Mazing

Sometimes when I read my Bible, I get blown off my feet on some of the passages of scripture I read and I want to tell everyone about it. This is one of those moments.

I'm reading the book of Daniel. I was reading chapter 3 where King Nebuchadnezzar had issued a decree that everyone should bow and worship the golden statue he had built when music played. The decree also stated that if anyone did not bow when instructed, they would be put to death by burning in the furnace. Well, word gets our that 3 men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not bowing and worshiping as they were instructed to. So the king summons the men to confront them on the issue. Here's where my mind was blown! The king ask the men if they have not been follow orders and they confess they have not. The king then offers them one more chance to bow or they will put placed into the blazing fire. Here is their respond, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18 NLT). 

WOOOOOAH! Did you get what I got?

If not here's another translation of the same verse. "Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king. But even if he doesn't, it wouldn't make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn't serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up." (MSG)

These men were facing death and their response is, God will save us. But not only that, they say that even if God doesn't save them from the fire, they still believe and worship him alone! These guys have more faith than I've ever had! I mean really, who says that nowadays? Who says, God will get me out, but if he doesn't I'm going to serve and worship him anyways. I don't know about you but I LOVE THIS! I love the intimacy and faith that these guys had with Christ. They didn't have to witness God pulling through (the way they would expect) they knew no matter what happened God was capable of saving them, He still existed, and God is still worthy of their worship and their sacrifice.

In this case, God did get them out (Daniel 3:19-30). But my question to you is...... in situations where your faced with a circumstance that possibly does not have a pleasant ending, are you willing to stand up and say, 'No matter what, I will serve my God.' Trust me, it's a question I'm going to be pondering on for a while.....