Bold trust

You know when you read one of those stories that make you say, “Hey, I want to be just like that when I grow up.” You know because it awakens something inside of you that makes you realize you can be like that right now. You just need bold trust.

Please indulge me for the balance of this post, as for the sake of my sanity and spell check, I will not be spelling out the names in their entirety. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be “The Boys.” King Nebuchadnezzar will be “the King.” Daniel will be “Daniel.”

The King forced the Jewish people into captivity to Babylon. Of the best and the brightest were Daniel and the Boys. They were to be tutored in the ways and language of their new home, to become servants to the King.

Bold is defined as being fearless before danger : intrepid, showing or requiring a fearless daring spirit. Intrepid is defined as resolutely courageous; fearless. Not trembling or shaking with fear; fearless; bold; brave; undaunted; courageous.

Right off these four young men had their first encounter to exhibit bold trust in God. The King wanted to give them the best food and wine from his table so that they would prosper physically. They did not want to defile themselves by eating this food. So Daniel asked the chief of staff for permission to not eat this type of food. This person feared they would become pale and scrawny on only a diet of vegetables and water. Daniel asked for a test, to see how they looked compared to the other young men who were eating the king’s food. At the end of the ten days, these four looked healthier and better nourished.

Here you are a captive in a foreign land, ripped from your home, and you have the boldness to stand up for your belief in God, and trust Him for the outcome with your request.

Later the King set up a ninety foot gold statue of himself with the orders that when the music began, you would fall down and worship it. The Boys refused to do so. When the King was told about it, he had the Boys brought to them and gave them a second chance to bow down. They were told that if they refused they would be immediately thrown into a blazing furnace.

What a horrible prospect! Facing what looks like certain death in a horrible manner. But maybe it was the King’s final words that gave them the boldness to respond how they did. The King said, “then what god would be able to rescue you from my power?” “Start talking smack about my God will you?!” So the Boys responded, “we don’t need to defend ourselves to you. If you throw in the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make this clear to you, we will never serve your gods nor worship your statute.”

The King became so furious that his face distorted with rage! Her ordered the furnace to be heated up seven times hotter. The Boys stand their calmly while this is happening, standing firm in their trust of God.

They were thrown the fire and a fourth Person was in their with them walking around with them. They did not burn up, and when they came out, they were not at all effected by the flames and they did not even smell of smoke.

Later under the rule of a new King, Darius, Daniel got to show his bold trust. This king chose Daniel to be a ruler over all of the other administrators in the kingdom. Well that didn’t set well with them. So they came up with a plan to trap Daniel. For the next thirty days any one who prayed to anyone but Darius would be thrown into a den of lions. Once again a certain horrible death. But when Daniel heard about the law, he boldly went home and knelt down in his usual spot in his upstairs room by the open windows. The officials went into his house and saw him praying and asking for God’s help. I can just imagine rubbing their hands together in glee thinking, “Busted Daniel!”

So off to the lion’s den with Daniel, sealed in with hunger lions for the night. Darius could not sleep because he was worried about Daniel. In the morning, he rushes to the den, and is relieved to hear Daniel’s voice stating that angels shut the mouths of the lions, because he was innocent the the sight of the Lord. So the king gave orders to have the officials who plotted against Daniel to be thrown into the pit, along with their wives and children. The lions pounced on them and tore them apart before they even hit the bottom.

As a side note, this shows your decisions and actions have consequences that not only effect you but your family, so think twice before you do something prideful and stupid.

Daniel and the Boys showed bold trust in God. When you obey God, you are in capable Hands, and when you trust Him, you need to leave the consequences to Him. I have been striving to do this more on a daily basis. I will be bold and stand up for what I know to be the Truth. I trust that God will take care of me. But even if He doesn’t, let me make this perfectly clear satan, I don’t have to defend myself to you and I am not going to listen to what you have to say and follow you into sin. Period. Talk smack about my God will you, trying to keep me off the right path are you?!

Lord, I hear your voice, for I know it and you. You are my gatekeeper who protects me from harm. You call me by name and lead me. You walk ahead of me and I follow because I recognize Your voice. I don’t listen to a thief’s voice, but will run from it, because I don’t recognize him. (My acknowledgment of God based on John 10)

I will recognize the Voice of truth and not listen to lies. I resist and the devil will flee.

Or better yet, from Andrew Ripp’s new song Fill my cup, “They can say what they want, but I don’t want what they say.”

Stand in bold trust of God, then relax and watch in amazement at what He will do for you.

© 2022 Fluffy Puppy Publishing All Rights Reserved