The story of the three men in the furnace teaches a lesson that is just as valid for us as it was for the Israelites in exile. The three young men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were particular favourites of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. But, when they refused, in their loyalty to their God, to bow down in worship before a statue the king had made, he threatened to throw them into a furnace prepared for those refusing to obey, and challenged their God to save them. They make a magnificent reply: if their God wants to save them, he will; but even if he does not, they will not compromise their faith by worshipping a human image. The king is so angry he orders the fire to be heated seven times more and have them thrown into it. Later on, to his amazement, the king finds them walking unscathed in the heart of the fire and, what is more, there is a figure "like the son of the gods" walking with them - surely the protecting hand of the Lord himself. The king is deeply impressed that they were so ready to forfeit their lives rather than worship any other god but their own. During this time of Lent, we might ask ourselves how ready are we to compromise our faith out of fear, or ambition or simply to indulge our appetites.