Faith vs. Experience

You hear King Nebuchadnezzar and you probably think of one of three things: 1. Daniel, 2. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, or 3. VeggieTales! (C'mon, "Good morning, George, how are you?" Good stuff.

But have you ever looked at Nezzar's (we'll call him that because it's easier AND that's what the VeggieTales like to call him) experience within the lives of Daniel and the boys? If you blink, you just might miss it.

Start in Daniel chapter 2 and you'll find a king conflicted over the dreams he's been having. It takes Daniel to interpret the dream. When Daniel is finally able to give Nezzar the answer he has been so desparately searching for, he falls prostrate on the floor. He says, in verse 47: "Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries..." Praise the Lord! Another follower of Yahweh because of the faith of Daniel! Right? Your answer is yest if you stop at the end of chapter 2. If you keep going, you find an unchanged man.

Chapter 3 starts out, "King 'Nezzar' made an image of gold..." And the rest, as they say, is history. The image was him. Everyone in the kingdom was supposed to fall down and worship this image of Nezzar. Sound like a changed man? Not at all. Sound like worhipper of Yahweh? Nope.

You know the rest of the story. Rach, Shach and Bennie (again, VeggieTales) don't bow down, get tossed into a firey furnace, but don't get burned, while those just getting too close to the furnace do. One who looks to be the "son of the gods (v. 25) was in the furnace with them. How does Nezzar react now?

vs. 28-29- "Praise be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent His angel and rescued His servants! They trusted in Him and defied the king's commands and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore, I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be burned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way."

I see a big jump there. You may not, and I may be thinking about it too much, but I see a man who says, "Wow. That was really cool what you say your God did. If you say He did it, ok. Thanks." Then I see a man who says, "Oh, my gosh! Your God frickin' rocks! Anybody who tries to serve any other god is just plain stupid because I have never seen anything that cool in my life!"

What's the difference? Why did it seem to click the second time around? It became personal for Nezzar. He was able to see it with his own eyes. With Daniel, it could've been tossed up to chance. It could've been attributed to Daniel, despite who Daniel said the credit belonged to. It wasn't personal yet. With the boys, it was up close and personal. He saw it all with his own eyes. Noone else relayed information. He couldn't help but admit what was right in front of him. They said their God would save them and He did!

It reminds me of Thomas. Doubting Thomas. Poor guy will have that moniker for the rest of time. All because he wouldn't believe what he had been told. His mind focused only on what was real. On what he could see. Did Jesus perform the miracles? Sure, but he saw those happen with his own eyes. He was there. He talked to those who had been changed. But when it came to the Miracle Performer performing a miracle like no other--raising Himself from the dead; well, now. That's different. That's not possible. Show me proof. Let me see the nail pierced hands. Let me see the gash in his side. Then I'll believe.

Jesus told Thomas that he believed because he saw, but blessed are those who believe and will never see.

How much proof do you require? How many times do you ask that God show His power. Have you ever wondered if He was really there? Have you ever doubted that He can do all the things the Bible says He did?

Jesus calls us to faith. Through our faith, we experience. Without faith, we'll never have the proof. If we look for the proof to have the faith, we may not be as lucky as Nezzar and Thomas were.

It's not abnormal for believers to doubt from time to time. Many struggle with it occasionally. What separates those who struggle and those who fall victim to the doubt is how you weather the storm. Believe. God will show Himself, but you have to belive. Jesus healed because the sick and the broken had faith that He could and would. Believe. Wherever you are believe.