March 24

Daniel 3:14-20, 24-28

In reading the Old Testament verses for today, I can’t help think what a great 3-D movie the Book of Daniel would make. Move over Avatar! What spectacular scenes: an inferno, a creature like a son of man descending on a cloud, a mysterious formulation of handwriting on a wall, visions of unimaginable creatures, not to mention what really happened inside that den of lions at night. On top of that how about that Nebuchadnezzar guy – a villain to give Darth Vader a run for his money. It’s a gruesome story, hard to imagine, but easier to take in the softer Veggie Tales episode.

The scene is set with Daniel and his three Musketeers living one for all and all for one as captured exiles forced to move to Babylon and trying to live faithful lives under a pagan tyrant. I must admit my first reaction was that if these guys were alive today, they could get a cool $20 million for an act in Vegas.

This 2,500 year old story of trying to live faithful lives in a culture that pushes a radically different set of values can seem familiar to us today. For these three men, their admirable ability to thrive is matched only by their complete uncompromising devotion to God. All they had to do was take a short bow to the pagan statue all the while whispering to God – “I don’t really mean this God” – and they were off the hook. How often are we challenged to bow to the secular false gods of modern culture – just a little bow, nothing big, no big deal?

Yet their love for their God was uncompromising. Hoping beyond hope that God would save them, what mattered most for them was God’s will, not theirs. They loved God with all their heart and soul, even if it meant getting a little more than just hot under the collar. Whether in Heaven or in Vegas, theirs was a hard act to follow.

Herein is the challenge of Christianity as expressed by the Lord’s Prayer –Thy will be done. To be sure asking for daily bread and forgiveness is easy. And, yeah, I know forgiving those who trespass against us can be really tough at times. But, the hardest part remains letting God do his will through us.

So the story comes full circle to 2010. Remember even in the inferno, God miraculously danced with them. If only the rope of the world that binds us was burned away so we could live the first and greatest commandment knowing God will be with us no matter what.

Not always easy, but in Daniel’s time, our time, and for all time, it is what Christ has taught us to do. He might not spare us the fires of life and the bar may be set higher than we can reach alone, but no matter, God loves us. So let God’s will be done.

Rande Davis