August 9 Bible Reading Plan

Even if He doesn’t, we will not bow!

-Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

A while back, I spent the day with some friends who have little kids. We played all kinds of games, including a rousing round of "Simon Says." (I have to admit, this was the first time I played this game in years.)

Watching the little ones do the nutty things that I would tell them to do was funny.

Simon says, "Scratch your tummy."

Simon says, "Do a somersault."

Simon says, "Jump around like a little monkey."

It was a fun ten minutes (until they got bored and moved on). Later, I began to wonder, "Do you ever feel like you're playing a game of Simon Says in today's culture?"

Simon says, "Don't say that."

Simon says, "You can't think this."

Simon says, "You have to believe what I believe."

It's one of the most significant challenges Christians face today: Choosing whether or not they will play along or refuse to bow to the voices of a secular, anti-Christian society.

It's just like the situation found in Daniel 3, where three followers of God had to choose to bow or not to bow.

In this passage, we meet Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego. They had been taken into captivity in Babylon and put through serious training. Now, their season of training has passed, and they are now described as "Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon." (Daniel 3:12, NIV)

Although their positions have changed, their challenges have not. Instead, they've grown even more difficult. As we read through Daniel 3, we see that these men must choose to obey God at the risk of their lives.

The story is pretty simple: King Nebuchadnezzar gets the ridiculous idea that he wants the world to bow down and worship him. So he builds a gigantic statue and declares that everyone must come, bow down, and worship his statue whenever the music plays. Those who didn't bow were destined to die.

Once again, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego face a choice. Obeying the king's order meant disobeying God's Law.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego decided to obey God rather than man.

They did not bow.

Even when a group of snitches went to the king and said, "These men won't bow"….(Daniel 3:12) Even when the king said, "Bow or I'll throw you into the fiery furnace"…. (Daniel 3:14-15)

Even when they made the furnace ten times hotter—-so hot that even the men who were escorting them to the furnace died from the heat. (Daniel 3:19-22)

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said, "We won't bow."

Specifically, they said:

"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." (Daniel 3:17-18, NIV)

"But even if he does not"….

What a powerful statement!

Whether God does a miracle or they suffer consequences for our stand for Christ, we will still follow Him.

Today, they stand as an example to all of us who are faced with the temptation to bow to a society that has replaced truth with tolerance and increasingly demands that we compromise our beliefs to make others more comfortable.

In a world that says, "All roads lead to Heaven, you can't say that there is only one God and one road to salvation."

To all who say, "The Bible is old-fashioned…it can't be taken literally…it doesn't apply to today."

To all who try to quiet the voice of truth. To all who want to silence the Church we need to follow the example of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and say, "We won't bow."

Here's what's even more impressive about these three men: they said they wouldn't bow, NO MATTER WHAT.

They trusted that God would come through for them, yet they said, "EVEN IF HE DOESN'T," we still won't bow.

The truth is that sometimes, refusing to bow comes at a cost.

For some, refusing to compromise Biblical truth could cost them friends and family members.

Others may lose income, jobs, and invitations to events or clubs.

Eventually, some may be called to prison or even die for Jesus.

Today is the day to make your choice, to determine in your heart, and to pray that whatever situation arises, you will have the courage and conviction of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Pray for unbreakable courage and strength to stand firm no matter what the culture demands.

Let's be the ones in the crowd who will not bow. Follow the example of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and live by the words that say, "No matter what, I will not bow."