The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 13 November 2024 — Who Will Stand For Jesus?
TOPIC: Who Will Stand For Jesus?
READ: Daniel 3: 8-12(NKJV)
- Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews.
- They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever!
- “You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, [and] psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image;
- “and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
- “There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.”
THE MESSAGE
Yesterday, we saw Nebuchadnezzar make a decree that all his subjects must fall down and worship his golden image or be thrown into a fiery furnace. He had officers who monitored obedience to this decree. Soon enough, these officers noticed three ‘stubborn boys’ who refused to bow to the image thereby defying the king’s order; they reported them to the King immediately and the die was cast! People must have watched keenly to see what the king would do next. A popular hymn has a line, “Stand up, Stand up for Jesus” (A&M 307) and this line is easier sung than practised.
How many of us are ready to die for our belief in Jesus when challenges arise about our faith? These boys were defending their belief in the Almighty God, the God of their fathers, in a foreign land.
Though it was a very tough decision, they decided to stand for God. They were not the only young men/women in captivity in Babylon but they decided to honour their God. Others must have bowed to the image. Their parents and friends must have tried to talk them out of resisting but they stood their grounds. What a challenge to some of our modern young people who have sold their souls to the devil even without any threat! Who will stand for Jesus?
PRAYER: Dear Father, may you give me strength to stand in the face of various challenges around me.
