Daniel 3:16-18 “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Daniel and his friends had infuriated the king by refusing to bow to the golden image of his God, and the king was going to take his revenge by throwing them into a blazing furnace. The young men understood that the objective of this conversation wasn’t their freedom; it was to honor God. Freedom and opportunity were right in front of them, but they put their trust in God and refused to bow to the world’s idol. We’re a long way removed from bowing to golden idols of political leaders, but we’re not removed from idols – they have names like success, popularity, wealth, power, pleasure, and comfort. The goal of each of our conversations and decisions is really pretty simple: to honor God.
Think about it
Do success, popularity, wealth, power, pleasure, or comfort fight with honoring God for supremacy in your heart and mind? Consider what you might do differently in order to make honoring God your first priority.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the examples of faith and courage in the midst of trial You have given to me in the Scriptures. Like these men of faith, make me a person of character, courage, and boldness for Your Kingdom. I put my trust in You, knowing that there is no fear in Your perfect love. I choose to honor You all of my days. In Jesus’ name, amen.