Daily Devotional for Small Group Discussion: Facing the Heat

Discussion Questions:

1. Tony writes, “If you want to make a difference you will face some heat.” What does he mean by that? Do you think it is true?

2. When have you “faced some heat”? What were the circumstances. How did you endure? What did you learn? 


Facing the Heat

“But I see four men unbound, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the fourth has the appearance of a god.” – Daniel 3: 25

If you want to make a difference, you will face some heat. Here’s a story about facing the heat.

Three young Hebrews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—while in exile in Babylon, landed jobs in the government of King Nebuchadnezzar.

But there was a problem. The three refused to bow down to their employer’s phony, trumped-up, man-made deities. “We will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue you have set up.”

Then things got hot, as they are likely to do, if you refuse to kowtow to the reigning local powers and vested interests. King Nebuchadnezzar was so incensed he had the three bound hand and foot and thrown into a super-heated furnace.

But when the King looked into the fire he was astounded to see all three, unbound and walking around. Stranger still, there was now a fourth man in there with them.

Who was the fourth man, exactly? For sure, I don’t know.

But here are two things I do know. First, if you are serious about making a difference and about serving our God, you will face some heat. You just will.

And second: facing the heat, you won’t be alone. You just won’t. You will know the companionship of the living God in a new and deep way.

This doesn’t mean that you should go looking for trouble. But it does mean that when trouble finds you, you won’t be alone.

Prayer

Help us to hang in there, Lord, when we are facing the heat. Amen.