For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit…But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Romans 8:5, 9 NRSV.

I wanted to share this beautiful passage from You Are The Beloved by Henri Nouwen: “The voice of despair says, “I sin over and over again. After endless promises to myself and others to do better next time, I find myself back again in the old dark places. Forget about trying to change. I have tried for years. It didn’t work and it never will work. It is better that I get out of people’s way, be forgotten, no longer around, dead.” This strangely attractive voice takes all uncertainties away and puts an end to the struggle. It speaks unambiguously for the darkness and offers a clear-cut negative identity. But Jesus came to open my ears to another voice that says, “I am your God, I have molded you with my own hands, and I love what I have made. I love you with a love that has no limits, because I love you as I am loved. Do not run away from Me. Come back to Me – not once, not twice, but always again. You are My child…I am your God – the God of mercy and compassion, the God of pardon and love, the God of tenderness and care. Please do not say that I have given up on you, that I cannot stand you anymore, that there is no way back. It is not true. I so much want you to be with Me. I so much want you to be close to Me. I know all your thoughts. I hear all your words. I see all your actions. And I love you because you are beautiful, made in My own image, an expression of My most intimate love. Do not judge yourself. Do not condemn yourself. Do not reject yourself. Let My love touch the deepest, most hidden corners of your heart and reveal to you your own beauty, a beauty that you have lost sight of, but that will become visible to you again in the light of My mercy. Come, come, let Me wipe your tears, and let My mouth come close to your ear and say to you, ‘I love you, I love you, I love you.’”

And as we read our chapter, Daniel 3, remember that God so loves His world and that includes all of us. Remember the dream that Nebuchadnezzar had in our last chapter, where he was the head of gold? He takes it and runs with it in this chapter. King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. So…they stood before it. 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.” v. 1-6. This statue of gold was 90 feet high and 9 feet wide (27 meters high and 2.7 meters wide). And so our three friends of Daniel, renamed Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were faithful to the true Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit, and worshiped Him only. Some who were jealous of them reported that to Nebuchadnezzar who had them brought before him. He was furious that they would not obey his every command. “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” v. 14-15. What God indeed! Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and He will deliver us from your Majesty’s hand. But even if He does not, we want you to know, your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” v. 16-18. Needless to say, the king was furious and his whole attitude changed. Does our attitude change when we are not obeyed? He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace…The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisors, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, your Majesty.” He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” v. 19-26. They obeyed, came out of the furnace and there was absolutely no evidence of any fire on them, except that now, they were unbound. Once again, the king was confronted with a truth he had not known before. There is a God who is Sovereign and He alone is to be worshiped. Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “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 except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.” v. 28-29. It always amazes me the extreme degree of vengeance to which the people of the Old Testament times swore. And these three men, by their trust and hope in God gave a better testimony. Imagine the impact this experience had on each person there! We have these histories of God’s people for a reason. They show us God’s faithfulness. And we can listen to His faithful love promising a better walk with Him. The way of the flesh was the way of Nebuchadnezzar. The way of the Spirit is trust and hope in Creator God.