Daily Devotionals

Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place Week 3: Tuesday

But there are some Jews-Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego-whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up." Daniel 3:12

I recently heard someone say that faith often feels risky because we don't need faith if there is no risk. For example, I do not need faith that a tried and true recipe that I have made over and over will turn out well. However, I need to have faith in myself and the creator of a brand-new recipe that will turn out well and taste delicious. Faith, my friend, involves risk. This is true when it comes to our faith in God. Sometimes, He calls us to take steps of faith that seem risky, and we have to choose whether or not we will obey. Daniel’s three friends learned this in Daniel chapter 3 when obeying God required taking a massive risk of faith.

Daniel 3 begins by telling us that King Nebuchadnezzar ordered a statue to be made that was "ninety feet tall and nine feet wide” (verse 1). He commanded that “People of all races and nations and languages” worship this statue when they heard musical instruments playing” (verses 4-5). He added to this command that anyone who did not obey and worship this statue would be thrown into a "blazing furnace" (verse 4). Three young Jewish men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, heard this decree. They were in Babylon because they had been captured from their homes in Judah to serve in the king's court. When they heard this instruction, they knew there was a problem. You see, they served God, the one true God, who taught against idolatry and worshiping anything else as God. They had a decision to make: would they bow down to this statue and save their lives yet dishonor God, or would they refuse to bow down to the statue and honor God yet lose their lives? Would they choose faith in God or fear? Choosing faith would certainly involve risk. What did these three young men do? They chose faith. Some of the king's astrologers told the king that these men refused to bow down to the king's gold statue (verse 12). They chose their faith even when the risk was extremely high.

Our question today is, will we choose faith even when the risk is high? Will we stand true to our faith in God like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? Faith feels risky, but if we genuinely believe in God and His call on our lives, perhaps the most significant risk is not taking the steps of faith He calls us to take.

Moving toward action

Choose today to take a step of obedience that seems risky. What step has God called you to take? Maybe He has called you to give financially when the finances seem tight already. Maybe He has called you to serve when you already feel pressed for time. Maybe He has called you to share your faith when you are unsure of your friend's response. Whatever you decide, choose today to obey Him, even when it feels risky. 

Going Deeper

Daniel 3:1-12

"King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then he sent messages to the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up. 3 So all these officials came and stood before the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

4 Then a herald shouted out, "People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king's command! 5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar's gold statue. 6 Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."

7 So at the sound of the musical instruments, all the people, whatever their race or nation or language, bowed to the ground and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

8 But some of the astrologers went to the king and informed on the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "Long live the king! 10 You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments. 11 That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews-Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego-whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up."