In the Furnace

Jeff Arnold preached on the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the book of Daniel, chapter 3.  "As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.  Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace." (3:5)

But our three heroes refused to do it!  Some astrologers tell on them: "But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon - Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego - who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty.  They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up." (v. 12)

They are thrown into the fire.  But they are not burned, even though Nebuchadnezzar had made the fire even hotter than before.  Then Nebuchadnezzar reverses course.  Now, anyone who does not worship the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is to be cut into pieces and their houses to be turned into piles of rubble. (v. 29)

Nebuchadnezzar abandons the furnace for the blade of the sword.  There will be conformity of worship.  No.  Matter.  What.  Leaders in the world expect conformity.  But Christians follow Romans 12:2: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

Mind-renewal doesn't come from living for ourselves.  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego weren't doing that!  They were pointing to God.  How do we point to God?  How do we glorify God?

Jeff, quoting some words from another pastor, told us to pay attention to our furnaces, to our storms: "It seems like you are either moving into a storm, in the middle of a storm, or just coming out of a storm."  Like all those signs posted throughout the Black Hills of South Dakota pointing you to the town of Wall Drug, we are to be pointing to the Lord.

Could it really be that the way you depend upon God in the storms of your life will be like a sign pointing others to the destination of God?  At the close of the 10:30 service, I saw someone singing "Never Once" and, while singing, in the midst of everyone else in the sanctuary, was also pointing up to God.  I wonder what storms that person has been through?  I wonder what life has brought to this person's doorstep that has been too much to handle?  And I wonder what this person knows about how God has used the storms of life so that there is now, today, a desire to give glory to God, to point to God in public?

This person was a sign to me yesterday!  So my prayer is that God would use my words, my actions, the way I handle problems, the way I live when I don't know who is watching, to bring glory to God, so that I can be a sign too.

The Wall Drug signs work.  Jessica and I drove through those Black Hills back in 2008.  We heeded those signs, stopped for donuts and coffee, and I purchased a jackalope t-shirt as a souvenir so I know they work!

God has blessed you and I with many great signs in the Christians we know.  These signs work.  I wonder who have been powerful signs pointing you to God, signs that work, signs that give you strength to be conformed not to this world, but to the Lord.