The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3 is probably one of the most inspiring and challenging stories for me in the Bible. Not only did they refuse to not just go with the crowd when the crowd wasn’t following God, but they went against an entire nation when they already stuck out like a sore thumb. They knew what God wanted and expected of them. So by following and obeying God, in the process, they were literally doing the opposite of everyone else.
In my life and personal experience, I’ve found that this is one of God’s favorite ways to work. That’s why I always pay attention to any crazy thoughts that pass through my mind. But even though I know God works this way, even though I know God confirms his leading me and the expectations he sets for me in a multitude of ways and even though I have no doubt about what God wants me to do, sometimes, probably most of the time, I will second guess everything when it doesn’t line up with anything or anyone I see around me.
Now these 3 Israelites were in the same boat I often find myself in – floating in a sea of choices (except their life was also on the line – but that’s just a minor detail). They were at a crossroads. They had to make a choice. They had to choose between God and a king who thought he was God basically. And though the king had all the power in his Kingdom, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego chose God.
Nebuchadnezzar asked, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t respect my gods and refuse to worship the gold statue that I have set up? I’m giving you a second chance—but from now on, when the big band strikes up you must go to your knees and worship the statue I have made. If you don’t worship it, you will be pitched into a roaring furnace, no questions asked. Who is the god who can rescue you from my power?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king. But even if he doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn’t serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.” Daniel 3:13-18
Did they believe God could save them? Yes. Did they expect him to? No. “But even if He doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference.”
This is what gets me every time. Even if God doesn’t save them, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference. Why? Because it’s not about them. It’s not even about their obedience. It’s about God. It’s about his power. It’s about trusting God to do or not do what needs to be done to bring him glory and make his name known. Because that is what our lives are ultimately about and what every decision we make is about. Not whether we live or die.
Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego understood this. They didn’t make choices based on whether God would or would not save them or come through for them. They made choices based on whether God could. And He always can. So they always chose God. This is where the struggle is for me. I know he can. I believe he can. But unless I know he will, sometimes – usually – it’s hard for me to make a choice, choose a direction and then say, “But if not.” I’d much rather say, “watch what my God can do.”
But to know that God could, to live out of that knowledge and let him decide to do or not do, to save or not save – especially if everyone else is doing their own thing that looks completely different than what God has asked of me is hard. For some reason, it usually leads me to put expectations on God to do instead of be able to do which leads me to feel the pressure of waiting on God to do instead of living in the confidence and contentment that he can.
How freeing it must have been for these three Israelites to be able to live in that confidence. To not live with expectations that God must do things. To live knowing all they had to do was choose to obey God and everything that God may or may not do after that was possible but not necessary or their responsibility. How freeing it must be to live knowing our responsibility is in making the choice while everything that happens after is God’s responsibility – not ours. To live knowing that “the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace or anything else. But even if He doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference.” (16-18)