Life is never going to be easy when you are living as an exile in the land of Babylon. There are always going to be temptations to compromise with the beliefs and practices of the sinful culture all around you. Today we come to one of the best known stories, not just in Daniel, but in the whole of the Old Testament – Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego & the Fiery Furnace.
Their determination to worship and serve the LORD their God overrode all other considerations and loyalties. As we look at what they were prepared to lay on the line for the sake of their faith and devotion to the LORD we need to ask ourselves how faithful are we in the face of the challenges of idolatry in our own day?
Main Points:
- The Pressure To Conform (verses 1-7)
- The Perseverance Of Obedience (verses 8-18)
- The Power To Deliver (verses 19-30)
Questions For Reflection:
- As disciples of Jesus today in what situations or contexts do you feel the most pressure to conform to the patterns of this world?
- What other examples in the Bible or in the story of the Church can you think of where God's people have chosen to take the same stand as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? In what ways does their determination to obey either challenge, encourage or convict you?
- Conduct an honest personal appraisal of the idols in your life. In what specific ways can you see that they challenge your calling to serve Jesus alone as Lord?
- What do you need to do in order to ensure that Jesus alone occupies the throne of your heart?