The furnace
Day 427, Sunday, Oct. 12
Daniel Chapter 3
While most of the book of Daniel is about the prophet Daniel, he doesn’t actually appear in one of its best loved stories.
When King Nebuchadnezzar has a great statue of himself made and demands that all his people worship it, Daniel’s three companions refuse to do so. Only God is worthy of worship.
As punishment he has them thrown into the blazing furnace. However, God not only saves them from the furnace, but is seen in it with them.
King Nebuchadnezzar then says, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any God but their own God.”
He then expresses faith in God and promotes the three to higher positions in his government.
While this story ends well for the faithful three, it is also a cautionary tale of the danger that is always present when the interests of the king clash with the worship of God alone.

-Rev. Mark Fleming

Sunday meditation

Psalms 7:1-5
Lord my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me, or they will tear me apart like a lion and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
Lord my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands—if I have repaid my ally with evil or without cause have robbed my foe—then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust.

Prayer focus
Lord, in a world in which many gods, human and otherwise, demand our worship, may we always reserve it only for you, whatever the cost.