FAITH CAPSULE: Do not be far from God but draw near to God.

Daniel 3

It is good to draw near to God. One that trusts in God hopes and rests in God.
Trusting and hoping in God prompts one to declare the works of God.
Knowing to declare the works of God causes man to be decorated with presence of God.
To declare the work of God is to be obedient to God and disobey the gods of this world.
The three friends of Daniel (Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego) demonstrated what it means to declare the works of God and be decorated by God. The three friends of Daniel disobeyed King Nebuchadnezzar by not worshiping a gold image.
With King Nebuchadnezzar, whoever does not fall down to worship gold image was to be thrown into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. Attempts to get them worship gold image did not work and the king questioned: Who is the god who will deliver the three friends from his hands?
The three friends of Daniel, in the face of untimely death declare the wonder-working God stating, “…O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18) It is impossible to declare the wonder-working God in the face of a challenging confrontation like that of the three friends and not have God decorate the declarer of wonder-working God.
God decorated the three friends immediately in an uncommon way in the history of creation when He came down to deliver them in the fiery burning furnace. It happened while they are in the burning furnace that God Himself came down instead of sending an angel for their deliverance. When the king saw the God whom he did not know before, he was astonished and he stated, “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” (Daniel 3:25) They were highly decorated and the king could not resist from announcing the awesomeness of God.
The three friends of Daniel could not become victim of the wicked as they remained close to God.
The three friends of Daniel trusted in God and their hope could not become hopeless.
Ignore the wicked; focus and hold onto God in these days of rising challenges and you shall remain standing.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace to be focus and not far away from God.