The Church
of the Ascension
Fifth Avenue at Tenth Street
New York City, New York

Mailing address:
12 W. 11th St
New York, NY 10011

v: 212-254-8620
f: 212-254-6520

Worship schedule
Sundays: 9am, 11am
Monday–Friday: 6pm

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Tuesday in the Third Week of Lent

Psalm 25:3-10
Song of the Three Young Men (Daniel 3:25-27,34-43)
Matthew 18:21-35

The Song of the Three Young Men, found in the Apocrypha, is one of the "additions" to the Book of Daniel. It should be inserted between Daniel 3:23 and 3:24, and I recommend reading the entire third chapter of Daniel, adding today's reading, along with the entire Song of the Three Young Men, as you go.

In Daniel 3, Azariah, Hananiah, and Mishael, Jewish captives in Babylon, refuse to worship the golden image which King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. (Note they have been given the Babylonian names of Abednego, Shadrach, and Meshach.) By way of punishment for their refusal, they are bound and thrown into the fiery furnace. But God saves them from the fire, and they come out of the furnace unblemished. This chapter in Daniel is about King Nebuchadnezzar's astonishment at seeing the three men saved by their god, and thereby recognizing this God's power; sort of like the scales falling from his eyes.

The Song of the Three Young Men is a window into the furnace, as we see Azariah, Hananiah, and Mishael being saved by an angel sent by God to protect them. The section for today is Azariah's prayer. Now that we know the context, we feel him crying out to God, as he and his friends are surrounded by fire. And we see the power of his prayer and of his faith, as God saves them.

So for today, let's remember the power of our prayers, and show others the power of our God through our faith, as we live our daily lives.

Mary Gaillard

posted by AscensionNYC @ 1:45 AM  |  link  |