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.” Dan 3:16-18It has been said that faith is spelt R.I.S.K.
The decision of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego may be the ultimate example of this.
Unlike the "faith preachers" of today, they did not believe that simply having enough faith in God would make them immune from hardships. Theirs was not absolute trust in faith but absolute trust in God.
Faith To Surrender
Firstly, they had the faith to surrender themselves to the circumstance. They did not try to hide away in the hope that no-one would notice their absence. They did not avoid the issue but faced it head on.
Faith To Stand
Secondly, they had the faith to stand when everyone else was bowing down to Nebuchadnezzar's statue. Man looks at the outward appearance but God sees the heart (1 Sam 16:7) so perhaps they they might have thought they could get away with making physical obeisance while keeping their hearts set on God. But instead they chose to stand amongst a crowd of prostrate people. Their faith was visible to all.
Faith To Sacrifice
Thirdly, and this is what sets Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego apart from those who believe you only need enough faith to avoid the unpleasant aspects of life, they were willing to trust God even if it cost them their lives. They knew God could save them. But even if they had to die an excruciating death in the flames, they would not deny Him.
Great faith is not believing God for the impossible but trusting Him through the unbearable.
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