Words of Grace

By Rev. Mahlon Nevel

Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, set up a huge golden image to be worshiped. A large, gathering of people were present at the dedication ceremony.

The command was given that when the music began to play, everyone would fall down and worship the image. Anyone who refused to bow down would be thrown into a burning fiery furnace.

Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego remained standing as the music played. It was reported to the king, and he was enraged. The three men stood before him and were given another chance to bow down.

“If you worship not,” the King reminded them, “you shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?”

Knowing that God was able to deliver them from the fiery furnace, they trusted him to protect them, and the Lord did, Someone once said, “They wouldn’t bend, they wouldn’t bow, and they wouldn’t burn.”

The three men believed that they would be delivered, but what if they were not? “But if not,” they testified, ”we will not serve the false gods.” (Daniel 3:18)

I read about an elderly woman from India who brought a very large offering to her church. The pastor knew that she was poor and so he asked her if she was making the offering out of gratitude.

“Yes,” she answered, “My son was sick and I promised a large gift to God if he got well. He died last week, but I am especially thankful that he is in God’s care.”