Scripture: Daniel 3:17-18 “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.”
Devotional: We have seen Biblical examples of loyalty to family and friends from the Bible. The stories of Ruth and Jonathan give us great insight into what it looks like to be loyal to another person. But we also have stories from the Bible of being loyal and devoted to God.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are a great example of this. The three of them refused to fall down and worship a gold idol that King Nebuchadnezzar had made. The King had issued a decree that when people heard music, they must worship the idol. He caught wind that these three gentlemen were not doing this, and when he confronted them, he threatened to throw them in a fiery furnace if it were true. They told it like it was and said they would not bow to the idol. And King Nebuchadnezzar followed through on his word. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were tied up and thrown into the furnace.
But before they were, they had told the king that their God was capable of saving them. And He did. When the king looked into the furnace, he saw, instead, four men walking around unharmed. These men had shown their loyalty to God, and God showed up. They proclaimed it without fear of what would happen to them. And while this is not always how the story ends, they were saved because of their allegiance to God.
Reflect:
- Reflect on your life and your relationship with God. Do you live in such a way that shows the world that you are loyal to Him?