Faith, Humility, Trust

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, in today’s first reading, Daniel 3: 14-20, 91-92, 95, stand firm in their faith. They do not succumb to King Nebuchadnezzar, who has threatened them with death if they did not bow down and worship his god.  “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue that you set up.”

 Is our faith as firm as that of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? Are we that centered in God? Or are we self-centered, demanding that God perform a miracle? Would we say: “even if God will not perform the miracle that I am seeking, I still will not bow down to lesser gods, including acting as though I myself am a god, a person with supernatural powers, a person whose demands are God’s demands?

 How many times are we not faced with the choice of not worshiping "the golden statue" which Satan sets up for us, hoping we will fall into his trap? How difficult at times it is to remain silent rather than loudly stating our position, arguing ad infinitum to defend our point? Are there not times when it is difficult to let God be our defense in God's time? Letting God be God demands of us a lot of humility, trust, and faith in the Unseen God.  We risk looking stupid, feeling humiliated, and scorned by onlookers, as Jesus experienced on the cross where our sin of pride is destroyed by Jesus' humility and obedience to the will of His Father to save us from sin.  Jesus did not defend Himself and asks the same of us!