As we look at today’s first reading, we hear the account of the three young men placed in the fiery furnace by order of King Nebuchadnezzar. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego made the decision to worship the One True God despite the King’s threats to serve his god. They made this decision based on trust in God and acceptance of God’s will for their lives. These men had no promise that they would be saved from the fiery furnace, yet they fixed their eyes upon the Lord and walked into the flames praising and blessing God. This is a perfect example of joy amid a trial.
During our Lenten journey, we keep our eyes fixed on Our Lord and His sacrifice. As the three young men offered themselves a living sacrifice, we can also offer ourselves as a living sacrifice. There are many opportunities in our daily lives, at work or at home, to make that offering in service to the Lord while serving others.
In times of personal trial, do we hold firm to our faith in the struggle to follow God’s Will, or do we give in to the temptation of finding the easy way out? As Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we can make the decision to walk into the fiery furnace of our personal trials praising and blessing Our Lord. As they were released from their trial “unfettered and unhurt” without even a scent of fire, the same could be true for us when we least expect it.