When the three young men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced the tough choice of bowing down to a gold statue to save their lives, or stay true to their God and be thrown into a super hot fire, they chose to remain loyal to God for that was more important than staying alive.
They really believed God was in charge and loved them. They were ready to risk everything for what they knew was right. God showed up in an amazing way. The fire that was supposed to kill them became a safe place. They walked around in the flames, not hurt at all, and there was even a fourth person with them, who looked like someone special from God. Because they were so faithful even when things were terrible, even the king saw how powerful their God was.
In the Gospel passage of today, Jesus told the people who believed in him, “If you keep following what I teach, you are really my followers. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). Lent is a time for us to go back to God’s Word and really learn what it says. This can help us break free from the things that hold us back – like sin, lying to ourselves, and caring too much about things in the world that take us away from God.
The freedom Jesus talks about isn’t just about being free in our country or society. It’s a deeper freedom inside – the freedom to live the way God wants us to, the freedom from being controlled by sin and being afraid to die. We find this freedom by knowing the truth, and Jesus himself shows us that truth. He is the way, the truth, and the life.
Jesus showed that some of the people who said they followed God were actually following something else – lies. In the story of Daniel, the three men chose the real God, the one who saves and helps, over the fake god the king made. They knew that pretending to believe a lie, even to save themselves, would be a kind of slavery – being controlled by fear, the king’s power, and what wasn’t true.
Jesus wants us to know who we really are and where our freedom comes from. If we believe in Jesus, we become God’s children. This makes us really free – free from having to please powerful people in the world, free from being scared of what might happen if we stand up for what’s right, and free to truly be God’s loved children.
Lent is a time to think about who we really worship. Are we giving too much importance to things like money, popularity, fun, or what other people think of us? Are we letting fear make us do things that go against what we believe? Or are we like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ready to stand up for God even if things get tough – like facing problems, being treated badly, or having really hard times?
The truth Jesus gives us helps us live as God’s true children. It frees us from needing to hold onto things in the world for safety and helps us trust that God will take care of us. It frees us from the lies the world tells us about how important we are and what our purpose is, reminding us that we are valuable because God loves us.
As we keep going through Lent, let the bravery of those three young men encourage us. Let their strong faith when they were facing death help us be strong in our own beliefs. And let Jesus’ words stay in our hearts: “If you keep following what I teach, you are really my followers. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
May this Lent help us really understand God’s truth so we can have a deeper freedom in Jesus. This freedom will help us face any hard times in our lives without being afraid, because we know that Jesus is always with us, even in the middle of the fire.
By John Weboosta
*Readings: Daniel 3:14-20.91-92.95; John 8:31-42*
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