Everyone in the entire kingdom was bowing down to Nebuchadnezzar's statue. Everyone except 3 guys. S, M, and A (the guys who wouldn't bow down) didn't care about looking weird. But it gets better... if you didn't bow down to the statue the king said you would be thrown in the furnace. Yeah, burned alive. So they were thrown in the fire for not bowing down... but they lived. Their clothes weren't even burnt. Read Daniel 3 again, even if you've read it 83 times.
Had I been there... would I have refused to bow down to the idol even though everyone around me was doing it, whether they thought it was right or not?
To bow down or be burned alive, would I still have not bowed?
I would like to say I would have stood tall... but really?
I mean... they could have bowed and asked God for forgiveness later, right?
But how awful would that be?
To not make a stand for the sovereign, awesome, just, and loving God who chose to forgive me and save me?
Incredible - he was, is, and is to come. For no other god has the power to save like our God.
How many idols am I bowing down to every day?
They may not seem as big as a huge statue in the town center, but an idol is anything (myself, recognition, popularity, stuff, etc...) that I'm adoring and seeking more the God himself and his glory. So standing tall may not mean standing up in front of a crowd of thousands and being the odd one. Standing tall may be obeying what Christ said when he told us to stop seeking things for ourselves and seek Him alone. Luke 9:23. (which is way easier said than done, so thankfully we aren't expected to do that all by ourselves).
It's not about me and my comfort zone. It's all about God. May knowing him better and sharing his word be my greatest desire far above all the things that don't matter. That's what I'm here for. It's what I was created for.
Just some thoughts...
We are into our first week of camp of the summer and it is CRAZY. But fantastic! Details about the kids, camp, etc. coming later!
ECHIPA VERDE!
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