The Blazing Furnace

And the Three men who refused to Disobey God
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

Nebuchadnezzar built a gold image which was ninety feet high and nine feet wide. He then issued a decree that at his order all people from every nation should bow down before it and worship it.
Nebuchadnezzar gave the order and the people from every nation bowed down to the gold image and worshipped it. But there were three men who refused to do what Nebuchadnezzar said. They were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. 
Nebuchadnezzar was so angry that he ordered the three men who had refused to bow down to the Gold image to be brought before him.
He said to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, “When I give the order bow down to the gold image and if you do not, I will have you thrown into the blazing furnace.”
“Your Majesty we will not bow down to the image you have created, even if it means you throwing us into the blazing furnace. We will honour our God and we will not disobey him. If he rescues us that is fine and even if he does not rescue us that is also fine.” said Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
Nebuchadnezzar was now fuming. He called over his soldiers and said to them, “Prepare the blazing furnace ten times hotter than normal heat and then throw these men into it.” The soldiers did as they were told.
When the soldiers took the three men to the blazing furnace. It was so hot that the fire consumed the soldiers. The three men walked into the blazing furnace and it did not burn them. They were joined by a fourth man who looked like a god.
When Nebuchadnezzar saw what had happened. He said in amazement, “Look there are four men in the furnace, did we not put three men, the fourth man looks like a god”.
Nebuchadnezzar shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego come out of the blazing furnace. Your God is the true God and there is no other God.” Nebuchadnezzar issued a decree that everyone should worship the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. 
This is an amazing story of God’s divine power and intervention. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were not traumatised or felt any    fear at the thought they would be thrown into the blazing furnace. Such was their confidence in God that it did not matter to them what ever happened to them. God met with them in the blazing furnace and rescued them. We too can put our trust in God in those situations that seem difficult to us.
(The story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego is found in the Bible in the book of Daniel Chapter 3)

Dear God,
I bow down before you the only true God
There is no other God,
You are Truth, Holiness and Purity
You are Light itself
Bolt out my darkness
I worship you and you alone.
I place myself in your care.
I pray this in Jesus’name.

By Harbajan (servant of Jesus) 19/06/13