Daily devotion – transformers….
Daniel 3:1 King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide[fn] and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then he sent messages to the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up. 3 So all these officials came and stood before the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4 Then a herald shouted out, “People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king’s command! 5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. 6 Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
7 So at the sound of the musical instruments, all the people, whatever their race or nation or language, bowed to the ground and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 But some of the astrologers went to the king and informed on the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king! 10 You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments. 11 That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty.
As we read through these events, we see three groups of people involved. These three groups exist still in our day.
There are the conformers – Nebuchadnezzar was not happy to be the ‘head of gold’. No, he desired to be represented completely by a whole image of gold. The people were happy to conform to his desires as long as he spared their lives and gave them what they needed.
Then there were the informers – These were some of the Chaldeans that Daniel and his friends had saved earlier. Unsaved people do not always appreciate what Christians do for them. These men wanted only to win the king’s favour and get the high offices he had given to the three Jews.
Finally, we have the transformers – not those who turn into robotic machines – but the three young men who did not bow and also did not know if God would deliver them from the king’s judgment.
But even if God did not, they would still obey the Lord and not worship the king and his idol.
Today ask yourself to which group do you belong?
To the three young men who stood for the Lord the blessing of God fell upon them. The Lord came to them and walked with them and they were set free from their bonds.
Fellowship and freedom are often found in the midst of a trial, a storm or even a furnace, if you are committed to the Lord!