March 19 – Daniel 3: 26-30
Request: Lord, you are the creator of friendship. You created our hearts to desire and need this kind of relationship. Thank you that you are the perfect friend and we can count on you.
Read: Daniel 3: 26-30; God is glorified
Record: Record a key verse and then write what stands out to you because of the boldness and unity of the friendship between these three guys.
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: Do the types of friends you have matter?
My Ponder:
God does a miracle; He saves these three men, turns a king’s heart, and now God’s name is freely being proclaimed in the kingdom. WOW! I would say, YES, our friendships matter. Whom we choose to stand with matters, and it takes courage.
My Verse: Daniel 3:28, “Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside[a] the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.”
My Response: Lord, thank you that you rescued your servants and sent an angel. You made it so clear that you are God and worthy of praise. Help me see how you do this type of deliverance even now in our modern world. I want to see you!
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My verse: Daniel 3:29 “Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.”
My response: Nebuchadnezzar may admire God at this point, but he has not yet submitted. He’s still threatening and bombastic, forcing people to do his will by violent means. It takes a personal humbling (Daniel 4) to take away his hubris and pride. Oh, Father! Nebuchadnezzar controlled through rage and violence. You are so much better. You draw us with everlasting love, wanting us to turn to you of our own volition. How I praise You for Your kindness toward us!
My takeaway from this story: Remembering that God is right and His truths are always true, whether or not I get rescued or have to endure persecution has been the big lesson for me. He’s God. I am not. And what He chooses to do with me is up to Him. My job is to believe and speak truth. Also … it helps when friends join you in this! But even if I have to stand alone someday, how I hope I’ll be able to do so by His strength. However, I hope there are always friends to stand with me. That would be much nicer!!