Faith Under FireSample

Faith in the fire

When King Nebuchadnezzar was told the infuriating news that three Jewish men had defied his order to bow before his golden statue, he threatened them with an excruciating death in a fiery furnace (read Daniel 3:1-15). What did those men believe that led them to be so bold in the face of death?

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to him, ‘King 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 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 3:16-18).

What belief led them to defy the king? That their God could save (“deliver”) them. The God of Israel was so powerful and loving that he could save them from the king’s hand. And “even if” he didn’t—that’s my favorite part—he would save them from a worse fire by bringing them to eternal life.

Your salvation in Jesus is not only your hope but also your courage. You don’t need to compromise your faith in order to please people when you believe in the all-powerful, all-loving, ever-present Savior of the world. God is too good to disobey for the sake of pleasing some earthly, temporary, here-today-gone-tomorrow human.

Remember that only your God saves, and you will have faith that can withstand the fire.