March 18 – Daniel 3:19-25
Request: Lord, show us how to have the courage to be faithful friends even in difficult situations.
Read: Daniel 3:19-25; the fiery furnace
Record: Record a key verse.
Respond: Write a prayer responding to God about the verse you just read. Let’s not just pick a verse and move on. Let’s interact with God about it.
Question to Ponder: Are you faithful? Faithful to God? Faithful to friends?
My Ponder:
These 3 men walked in courageously together even when they could’ve bailed one another at any second. And I love it when the angel appears and joins their little cohort. Can you imagine walking around in a fire with your best friends and an angel? I’d like to think I’m a faithful kind of friend. I’ve had to stand with friends in other difficult situations, and it has brought us closer together. But it can still be hard to do. Jesus is the ultimate friend and example for us. He stands by us in the difficult situations we experience. He supports, encourages, protects, guides, comforts.
My verse: Daniel 3:22, “Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.”
My Response: Lord, even under pressure, help me be faithful and loyal. Give me the Holy courage to stand with other believers for what’s right.
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My Ponder: God led me to think about how anger destroys friendships and relationships as I meditated on verse 22. However, I’m grateful for Bonnie’s challenge to stand with friends when they are facing “furnaces” of their own as well.
My verse: Daniel 3:22 “And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in.”
My response: Nebuchadnezzar lost some of the strongest men of his army (v. 20) because of his rage. Whoa. Father, keep me aware of the deadly cost of rage and temper flares. I’ve seen the damage my own temper has caused in the past. Thank You for this detail in the story that reminds me of how rage and uncontrolled anger destroy, hurting the innocent and leading to great regret. Your ways are so much better, Lord! Fill me with the fruit of You Spirit instead when I face trying situations, please.