September 1st
Rethinking Rebellion
Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?' Shadrach, Meshach, and AbedNego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.' Daniel 3:15-16
Their lives were on the line. All they had to do was dance when the Pied Piper played his little tune. It was as simple as going along with the rest of the entire nation. Surely these three Hebrews would bow to the golden image. After all, it would be wrong to disobey their king, right?
Wrong. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego saw through the lies and the pressure, and they refused to obey a king and a culture that were not in line with God's will.
They stood with God, and not just once; they stood with their God twice. Nebuchadnezzar called upon his entire nation to bow before the golden image he had made, and only these three remained standing. The exalted king of Babylon prepped his furnace, but gave the boys one last chance.
The enemy has not changed his tactics much since the time of this story. He does not tempt us only once, but will keep looking for weaknesses in our defenses, doing anything he can to make us bow before a false God. He works to sweep us away in the trends of the culture, to make us think that we must be just like everyone else. And he whispers, If you will just bow, then good! Everything will be good if you will worship just like everyone else.
How do you respond when you feel the pull to bow to something other than the one true God? You don't. Look at what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego say We have no need to answer you in this matter.
Rebel against culture. Stand firm. Give no answer to the enemy. This is our calling as those who belong to God.
Prayer Lord Jesus,
Thank You that You are God above all other gods! I choose to worship You alone. Please show me where I am bowing to any false god and give me strength to stand.
Amen