“If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.”
Daniel 3:17, ESV
It is easy to try not to stand out and just go with the ways of the world, but we, as people of God, are called to be set apart. This does not always mean that we will have to face such severe consequences as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego within Daniel, but we are called to be prepared to be a people to stand for our faith. This may mean that we remove ourselves from things that we know are contrary to the will of God. It may mean we will have to take stances that are not necessarily popular. Our focus is not to be on the possible cost but on the greater blessing that God holds for us and our desire not to do anything that would not honor Him. So often, we seek to please others, but God desires for us to seek to please Him. His desire is for us to focus on Him in all aspects of how we live and to be unafraid in our knowledge of His provision given for our eternal salvation. Whether one desires to take our life or not is not the issue, but we live in the reality that we have the promise of eternal life and, therefore, our Lord’s protection in all things. As Paul says, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)
Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.