For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. – 2 Chronicles 16:9

Do you recall when King Nebuchadnezzar built himself a gigantic golden statue and ordered all his subjects to worship it at the blast of a harp, flute etc. ? If you do then you also know that every one of his subjects kneeled to worship, except three Jewish boys who decided not to; because they don’t kneel to anyone or anything except God almighty.

Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 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…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.”- Daniel 3

These boys have been hailed throughout time for their heroic opposition to the then mighty force of the world, and many preachers never fail to mention that. We know that at the time, the entire Jewish nation was in exile, these boys were in exile. The nation was in a self afflicted exile as a result of the sins their forefathers committed against God. Yet they took a stance for Him! They took a stance for a God that looked on for them to be exiled! Isn’t that something ?

I want to believe many of us still stand for God in our days of shame and distress, or lack, or persecution. I want to believe that we have the heart to stand for God the way they did, considering all that was going on in their lives. You know that for punishment they were thrown into a furnace that was heated seven times over, right? Yes, they were; but the Lord was with them. If there’s anything God was doing before this happened it is our scripture for today, “For the eyes of God going around looking to strengthen those whose hearts are committed to Him,”

He found the boys worthy, and because He found them worthy, He strengthened them. So they have been the reference point for many faith sermons over centuries. We can all encourage ourselves with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’s gallant fight of faith.

As pilgrims, we will feel alone and sidelined by men a lot of times, there are times we will face harsh persecutions but that is the price to pay for taking the narrow path. I pray the Lord strengthens you. In the face of it all I pray you get the strength to say “even if I am thrown into the furnace, I will still not bow.”

Isaiah describes Christ as ” despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” We esteemed him not, but God esteemed Him. He gave him strength to see through His purpose and overcome.

This same Jesus is telling you today, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world and so will you.”

Daniel 3
Isaiah 53:3
2 Chronicles 16:9