“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Daniel 3:17-18
Throughout church history, there have been times when believers have been confronted with the important decision of picking a side. They have been forced to choose between God Almighty and the god(s) of this world. In the early centuries, many Christian martyrs met their death in the colosseum in Rome, while others were burned alive at the stake. These martyrs chose Him.
While the right choice might seem like a foregone conclusion, it is not. When the stakes are high, and the punishment is brutally frightening, one’s resolve can weaken. This is what happened to Peter on the night that Jesus was arrested. On that fateful night, Peter denied his Master three times!! Peter was not just a passing acquaintance. He knew Jesus intimately. He had served the multitudes alongside Jesus, rested beside him at the end of a weary day of ministry, broken bread with him, and prayed with him for three years, and yet when it counted the most, Peter said, “…I don’t know him (Luke 22:57).”
In contrast, when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were confronted with the threat of the blazing furnace, which was heated seven times hotter than usual, they emphatically told King Nebuchadnezzar, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
This was not mere bravado. This was a full faith confession. This was total reliance on God, and a conviction built up from their intimate walk with the Almighty. They had resolved in their hearts to serve him only. Every decision they made underscored and strengthened that initial decision. They acknowledged God as Sovereign so whether he saved them or not, was beside the point. They would honor him, regardless. They didn’t know if they would be burned to a crisp, but they knew that their One and only true God was worthy of their loyalty, obedience and worship.
Our world environment is communicating, “It is decision time,” and our Father is seeking those who know him. Do you know him? Have you resolved in your heart to obey him wholly, and to serve him only? If not, today is your day, and the time for decision making is now. In John 16:33, Jesus offers this assurance, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jesus, who has gone before us, has promised he will not abandon those who trust in him. So, choose him today and every day, no matter the consequences might be. Choose Him, because he first chose you. AMEN!