Picture of Faith in action!

Daniel 3:16-18
     "16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”"

This verse is VERY powerful to me! Every time I read it, I'm in awe of the confidence that Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego show here. First of all, they are being told to bow and worship a statue or die in a blazing furnace, and second of all: not only do they tell Nebuchadnezzar that their God is powerful enough to save them, they reiterate that even if God does NOT save them, they will worship no others! Now THAT my friends is a great picture of faith to me! I've talked about the "definition" of faith before how Hebrews 11:1 defines faith this way: "1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."  and when I was writing about this faith, I wish I could have remembered this story. When I read that verse from the New Testament defining faith for me, I can see it lived out in the actions of these three men.

I think the "magic" words here that take these verses to the faith level are 18 But even if he doesn’t. I am still just in awe as I am writing this. Can you imagine what our lives, what MY life, would look like if we could live these verses out in our every day lives? I would have no reason to fear for anything, I wouldn't feel like I'd need to "bow" to the peer pressure I see happening all around me. My life could be so much if I would just learn how to live these verses! God has a choice in what He does, but WE have a choice in how we act, or react to life as well. If we can chose to believe that God will save us, and acknowledge that EVEN IF HE CHOOSES not too, we won't bow or worship any other but our God; wow. I'm floored at the possibilities!

Here's to living a life of faith as shown here in Daniel, thanks boys for giving me that example to live by!