Mar '22
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Scripture
Daniel 1:1-7
Daniel’s Training in Babylon
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god.
Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility - young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace.
He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.
Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
Daniel 3
The Image of Gold and the Blazing Furnace
King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisors, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up.
So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
“But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego - who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up?”
“Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
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.”
Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.
So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisors, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors, and royal advisors crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
Then Nebuchadnezzar said, ‘Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”
“Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”
Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Devotional
I have a two percent chance. A two percent chance of being accepted into a Doctor of Audiology program.
It all started last July when my husband and I visited his family in California. A few years before, when I was working as an Audiology Technician, I trialed hearing aids with his grandpa after learning he had a diagnosed hearing loss. It was such a joyous trip as I got to witness firsthand all the sounds of life he could suddenly hear again. That previous trip had spurred him to visit his own audiologist and get a pair of hearing aids. Ever since then, when we go to visit, I’ve made sure to pack my tools and listening scope to clean and check his hearing aids.
This particular trip back hit differently than previous ones. As I was cleaning my grandpa in-law’s hearing aids, and sharing tips for usage through my husband’s translation, his grandpa stopped, mustered up an incredible amount of courage, and spoke to me for the first time in English.
In that precious moment, where he dared to bridge our language barrier, he shared how grateful he was for how professional and caring I was able to be when helping him. That was the moment I knew. God used one incredible sentence from a man who could barely speak English, to spur me into action.
After years of waiting, God let out the reins and encouraged me to fight the odds to become a doctor.
I was so used to sitting on the couch in pain, praying that God had better plans for my life than being idle, that once He gave me the call, I held onto it with everything I had. I spent endless hours over the next three months pouring my heart into application essays. On November 1st, 2021 I officially submitted all of my applications and began the waiting game. For five months, from November 2021 until March 2022, I have had to wait to see the fruit of my labor. For months, I’ve held onto faith that God will deliver what He started.
Anytime I think of the potential of beating the two percent, I break into tears. It seems impossible. How in the world could I get into a program when I have less than a two percent chance? And yet, I trust that if that is where God still wants me to go, I will get in. Instead of dreading the rejection, I dream of celebration. I prematurely experience the cheers, prayers of rejoicing, and tears of joy that will occur when I get my acceptance.
I believe that God will finish what he started. I believe that God called me to pursue becoming a doctor and that he will pave the way to completion. And I believe even if I don’t beat impossible odds, God is still good.
Where does this faith come from? How do we learn to so full-heartedly trust God with our future regardless of the outcome? How do we look uncertainty in the face and shout with joy “I believe my God will deliver me, and even if he doesn’t, I know he is still good!”?
My friend, before we start considering these questions in-depth, I want you to take a moment and consider the trials you are facing right now.
What in your life have you been praying to God for?
What obstacle is hovering in your presence, begging you to look away from the cross?
What impossible odds are you fighting to sustain your faith against?
What do you want more than anything at this moment, that you know you have to entrust to God’s tender care?
For Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, their impossible trial was facing being thrown into a furnace after refusing to worship an earthly king over their Heavenly King. They were so confident that God would finish what He started in his perfect power, that they wouldn’t waver in the conviction of their faith - even if it meant they were spared the furnace. For these three individuals, having faith in God, meant they were already being spared death.
To fully understand the importance of how God worked through these three men, we have to start from the beginning in Daniel 1. When Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were all young men, Judah was overthrown by Babylon. This eventually led to Jerusalem, the capital of Judah, being seized and many of Judah’s sacred artifacts being taken to Babylon.
During this transition of power, the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, ordered a specific type of Israelite man to be brought captive to Babylon. Daniel 1:4 tells us that the king was looking for Israelite men who were handsome, sound in mind and body, and keen to learn. Of the young men taken captive to learn the ways of the Babylonians were Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These young men were to train in living like the Babylonians before entering the king's service.
By Daniel 2, we see Daniel and his companions learning how to uphold the laws of their God, while training under king Nebuchadnezzar. Because these men chose to live in accordance with God's law, they were found to be healthier and wiser than the Babylonian men who had also trained to enter the king's service. After they entered the king's service, the king began having confusing dreams, and in his frustration of no one being able to interpret them, he ordered all of his wise men to be killed. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came together and prayed for God to give David the ability to interpret Nebuchadnezzar's dreams and save their lives. God heard their prayer and after David told the king what his dream was, all four men were promoted.
Daniel 2:48-49
Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men.
Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court.
From considering the history of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we learn how God had previously been at work in their lives and the efforts they went through to live according to God's law. God allowed Jerusalem to be seized by Babylon. He allowed his faithful children to be taken captive so that they might show the Babylonian's the power of Israel's God. God elevated his children from serving as wise men to serving as advisors to prepare them for what was to come.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn't start with high standing in the kingdom. They started as trainees and slowly worked their way into higher positions as they grew in their wisdom and skills. They had a history of practicing faithful living and learned over time how to stand against obstacles with faith. Every step of the way, God had led his children and prepared them for a future they were yet to discover. He was the one who placed them in their positions as advisors so that when the time came, He could show His glory to all of Babylon.
This is a crucial point in understanding how we can have faith when facing an uncertain future. When push came to shove, these three individuals knew that they could trust their God within any circumstance because they already had a history with him. They had faced progressively harder situations, and each time, they learned more about God and their ability to trust in his outcome. They had learned to observe God's provision to his people, and as a result, they knew and trusted God's faithfulness and consistency. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were able to trust their God when their future was uncertain because they had already built an abundant relationship with Him.
Think about it this way. When you were young and got hurt, there was always someone to pick you up and make sure you were okay. No matter what happened, there was someone in your life who loved you and took care of you. If you have a dog, you know that no matter how you act on a given day, no matter how much you want to be left alone, that dog is always going to follow you.
God is the same way. He is the loving caregiver who picks you up, kisses your wounds, and encourages you to try again. God is the faithful companion following you everywhere you go no matter what you do or say. Because God remains consistently faithful throughout our lives, we learn the extent to which we can put our trust in him. We build up the skills required to look at an uncertain future and know that we will be okay as long as we are in God’s presence.
Daniel 3:8-12
At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
“But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego - who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”
We know that God put Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into their positions as advisors for a reason; to ultimately declare the glory of the God they served. To king Nebuchadnezzar, these were simply men who he had taken captive, trained with the intent of serving him, and expected to enforce his laws. It was a personal insult to the king for his own advisors to blatantly ignore the newest law. It made the king look bad if the people he had put in charge were the same people deliberately breaking the law.
Daniel 3:16-18
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.”
We started this devotional by questioning how we can have faith in the face of an uncertain future. The faith we are looking to understand is the faith we see modeled by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in this passage. It's the incredible moment where they looked at their uncertain future and rather than shrinking in fear, they cried out: "I trust my God!". Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew they were servants of a wonderful and powerful God. They had personally experienced God’s provision and they had chosen to devote their lives to their God over their king. They remained constant in their faith because God remained constant in his faithfulness.
This part of the story is so incredible, and such a testament to the faith we can have, because Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn’t place their faith in the circumstances, or their desired outcome. They didn’t consider the odds of survival as a measure of what would happen. When faced with the furnace of uncertainty, they relied on a God who was unwavering in his goodness.
My friends, the individuals in this story, weren't facing uncertainty about where to live, work, or go to school. This doesn't discount the trials we are currently facing, but rather it shows the depths of trust our faith is capable of achieving. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were facing death. They were on the verge of being thrown into a furnace and feeling the flesh melt off of their bodies as flames slowly consumed them. Nevertheless, they trusted that they had a God who was powerful enough to save them, and good enough to decide whether they would live or die. Death itself wasn't a good enough reason to abandon the God they had learned to serve faithfully.
This is the faith I want us to strive towards. I want all of us to be able to stand in front of the furnace and with the courageous faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego say:
“If I am thrown into the blazing furnace, the God I serve is able to deliver me from it, and he will deliver me. But even if he does not, I want everyone to know that I will not serve other gods or worship images. Even if I am thrown in the furnace, I will trust in the goodness of my God.”
My friends, look into the furnace. Consider that insanely, scary, uncertain future that's holding you by a chain of anxiety, and see it for what it is: a test of faith. You have been guided to this moment by a God who has never left your side. God has heard your prayer and has already been preparing you for a future more wonderful and holy than you could ever imagine. Dare to look straight into the fiery furnace of uncertainty and realize where you have placed your hope.
Daniel 3:24-26
Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisors, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were tied up and thrown into a burning furnace. The odds were 100% against them. They should have been burned alive and died on the spot like the guards who had thrown them in. According to the odds, they should have been known throughout history as martyrs for their faith. God didn't care about the odds because he is so much greater than a statistical number.
From the beginning, God had a plan for his faithful children. He had built them up over time so that when they faced a seemingly impossible situation, they could boldly declare the power of God. Because of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's choice to believe in their God despite the flames of fear, king Nebuchadnezzar had his eyes opened to a God greater than any other.
While I was writing this devotional, I got an email from one of the four schools I had applied to. Three simple words stood out, begging me to put my hope for a future in them: “a status change”. Praise the Lord for his Holy Spirit because I already knew I had been denied admission before I ever opened the link for confirmation. At that moment as my two percent odds of going back to school grew a little bit smaller, I realized something. I was okay. The odds meant nothing except to declare the greatness of our God.
I thought I would be devastated. That rejection would cause me to waver and question if God was still holding my future close to his heart. I had waited so many months, questioned God’s intent for my life so many times, that I had inadvertently submitted to living in anxious anticipation. When a part of that awaited future finally became clear, I was at peace. I realized that while I was uncertain of my future, and at times those feelings became overwhelming, I was ultimately placing my hope in God. I looked into the furnace, saw rejection simmering amongst the flames, and realized I trusted my God to deliver me - no matter the outcome.
I don’t need a specific outcome to be loved by my God. I don’t need to put my faith in the circumstances of this world because I know that God was at work in me by just encouraging me to apply. And I know that if God’s intent was not for me to complete a program, then he has used the process to prepare me for His future work.
Trials are scary; the future is scary; the unknown is scary. I will not deny that, and I don’t expect you to either. Instead of denying the challenging emotions that uncertainty has evoked within you, embrace them. Realize that your emotions are a gift from God and can be utilized as such. Look to your side, see that God has never left it, and trust Him to remain there…even if you’re thrown into the furnace.
God carried Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego through the scariest moments of their life and brought it all to completion according to His good will. And he will do that for you as well.
Application
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I asked these questions near the beginning of our devotional. If you didn't stop and answer them then, I want you to do so now. Take the time to dive into these questions no matter how scary they might seem.
What in your life have you been praying to God for?
What obstacle is hovering in your presence, begging you to look away from the cross?
What impossible odds are you fighting to sustain your faith against?
What do you want more than anything at this moment, that you know you have to entrust to God’s tender care?
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One of the most emphasized points we covered in this month's devotional was that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were able to trust God because of the history they already had with him.
Make a list, aiming for at least ten items, recounting times you saw God providing for you. When was God's hand an obvious presence in your life? What has God walked you through previously so you could continue to grow in your ability to rely on him?
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Practice these prayers when you feel the anxiety of uncertainty beginning to creep in.
Lord, when my heart starts to feel antsy, send your Holy Spirit to remind me of your goodness.
Father, open my heart in trust to you.
God, I know you have always been by my side. I pray that I will see you by my side now and trust that you will remain there.
God, you know how much I want this. You prepared my heart to be excited about this opportunity. If it is still your will, carry it to completion.
Heavenly Father, you have started a good work for me. May I remain in you, and declare your goodness, no matter the outcome.
Lord, thank you for seeing me as worthy of completing your good work.
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I encourage you to be bold and share the trial you are facing with someone you trust.
Tell them what your trial is, what you are hoping happens, and how you have practiced patient faithfulness. Ask them to pray for you.
When you get an answer to your prayer, share this with the same person.
This exercise helps us get into the habit of being honest about what we are facing, and growing comfortable with how God has provided both in good news and bad news.
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Prayer
Heavenly Father,
You know the desires of our hearts. You knew us intimately even before we were knit together in our mothers’ womb.
Through our lives, we have seen your goodness, Father. We can look back on the moments when we thought we were alone and see that you were by our side. We can look back on the good, the bad, the beautiful, and the ugly, and know that all of it was working for your greater purpose.
Father, we trust that the desires in our hearts are good if you have placed them there. We desire the product of the works that you have started. We desire to see your light shine through in this world and to know that we worked hard to spread your Word.
Give us patience, faith, and courage as we wait for the future Lord. Calm the anxieties of our hearts. May we give ourselves over to the Holy Spirit and embrace your reminder that we are provided for either way.
We trust that even if our futures don’t look the way we want them to or, thought they would, they are still working for the Kingdom. We trust that no matter the outcome, we are secure in you and loved by you.
Lord, give us hearts that align with yours. Give us the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that we might declare to the world, “I believe my God will deliver me, and even if he doesn’t, I know he is still good!”.
No matter the outcome, no matter our future, you are a good Father.
In your all-knowing name, we pray,
Amen
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