"That's right, O king," they said. "But look!" he said. "I see four men, walking around freely in the fire, completely unharmed! And the fourth man looks like a son of the gods!"
Nebuchadnezzar went to the door of the roaring furnace and called in, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the High God, come out here!" Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked out of the fire.
All the important people, the government leaders and king's counselors, gathered around to examine them and discovered that the fire hadn't so much as touched the three men—not a hair singed, not a scorch mark on their clothes, not even the smell of fire on them!
Nebuchadnezzar said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel and rescued his servants who trusted in him! They ignored the king's orders and laid their bodies on the line rather than serve or worship any god but their own.
"Therefore I issue this decree: Anyone anywhere, of any race, color, or creed, who says anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be ripped to pieces, limb from limb, and their houses torn down. There has never been a god who can pull off a rescue like this.
I've never grown tired of this story. God was powerful and AWEsome, He still is. When I read this story my heart beat quickens as I imagine witnessing this miraculous moment. If I knew that the most powerful king was going to throw me into a fire, I don't know that I would even expect this to happen in my wildest dreams. Can you imagine the humbling realization that God has chosen you to be a testament to His power in that situation? I would believe that God can use anyone; however, I would never expect it to be me. In the same way, I imagine that Daniel and his friends felt the same way. In the entire story of Daniel we see his servant-like attitude and humble obedience to living according to what God would have him do. I pray this morning that my life would also be consumed with the same obedience and attitude; perhaps God will see fit to be honored through my life.
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