Daniel (Greek) 3:40-45: a reflection

40like the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like ten thousands of fat lambs. So let our sacrifice be in your sight this day, that we may wholly go after you, for they shall not be ashamed who put their trust in you. 41And now we follow you with all our heart. We fear you, and seek your face. 42Put us not to shame; but deal with us after your kindness, and according to the multitude of your mercy. 43Deliver us also according to your marvelous works, and give glory to your name, O Lord. Let all those who harm your servants be confounded. 44Let them be ashamed of all their power and might, and let their strength be broken. 45Let them know that you are the Lord, the only God, and glorious over the whole world.”

In the fiery furnace, the young men, having no sacrifice to offer and nothing of their own to bring, offer instead a contrite and humble heart, and follow God with their whole heart, trusting his mercy. Let a contrite heart and a humble spirit be accepted, they pray in effect; and now we follow you with all our heart. We fear you, and seek your face. Deprived of the temple, the altar, and any sacrifice they might have offered, they come to God with what they still have: a contrite, humble heart, a whole-hearted following, a seeking of his face, trusting not in any offering of their own but in his mercy. This shows that a contrite, humble heart is an acceptable offering when we have nothing else to bring. A contrite, humble heart is an offering God accepts. When we have nothing else to offer, we can offer God a contrite heart. Follow God with the whole heart, trusting his mercy. God accepts the humble, contrite heart brought to him.

Notice what the young men offer God in their extremity. They were in a terrible situation, cut off from the temple and the altar, with no sacrifice, no offering, nothing of their own to bring to God. What could they offer? They offer what they still had: a contrite and humble heart, a whole-hearted following of God, a seeking of his face, a trust not in any offering of their own but in his mercy. And they pray that such a heart might be accepted in place of the sacrifices they could not bring. This reflects a truth that runs through Scripture: that God accepts a contrite and humble heart, that a broken and contrite spirit is an offering God does not despise. When we have nothing else to bring to God, no worthiness of our own, no offering that could commend us, we can still come to him with a contrite and humble heart, following him wholeheartedly, seeking his face, trusting in his mercy. This is an offering God accepts. We do not need to bring God impressive offerings or our own worthiness; we can come with a humble, contrite heart, and this he receives. When we feel we have nothing to offer God, we can offer him a contrite and humble heart, and follow him with all our heart, trusting his mercy. Offer God a contrite, humble heart when you have nothing else to bring. God accepts the broken and contrite spirit brought to him. Follow God wholeheartedly, trusting his mercy, not your own offering. We can always come to God with a humble, contrite heart.

That is worth resting in, for a contrite, humble heart is an offering God accepts, even when we have nothing else to bring, as the young men offered God a contrite heart and whole-hearted following in the furnace. We can feel we have nothing worthy to offer God, no offering that could commend us; but the young men, cut off from the temple and any sacrifice, offered God a contrite and humble heart, trusting his mercy. God accepts such a heart. When you feel you have nothing to bring to God, offer him a contrite and humble heart, following him wholeheartedly, trusting his mercy. Offer God a contrite and humble heart when you have nothing else to bring, following him wholeheartedly and trusting his mercy, as in the fiery furnace the young men, having no sacrifice to offer and nothing of their own to bring, offered instead a contrite heart and a humble spirit, praying that it might be accepted, and following God with all their heart, fearing him and seeking his face; for deprived of the temple, the altar, and any sacrifice, they came to God with what they still had, a contrite, humble heart and a whole-hearted following, trusting not in any offering of their own but in his mercy, which reflects a truth that runs through Scripture, that God accepts a contrite and humble heart and does not despise a broken and contrite spirit, so that when we have nothing else to bring to God, no worthiness of our own or offering that could commend us, we can still come to him with a contrite and humble heart, following him wholeheartedly, seeking his face, and trusting in his mercy, which is an offering God accepts, since we do not need to bring him impressive offerings or our own worthiness but can come with a humble, contrite heart that he receives, so that when we feel we have nothing to offer God we can offer him a contrite and humble heart and follow him with all our heart, trusting his mercy.

Lord, in the fiery furnace, the young men, having no sacrifice to offer and nothing of their own to bring, offer instead a contrite and humble heart, and follow you with their whole heart, trusting your mercy. Let a contrite heart and a humble spirit be accepted, they pray in effect; and now we follow you with all our heart. We fear you, and seek your face. Deprived of the temple, the altar, and any sacrifice they might have offered, they come to you with what they still have: a contrite, humble heart, a whole-hearted following, a seeking of your face, trusting not in any offering of their own but in your mercy. This shows that a contrite, humble heart is an acceptable offering when I have nothing else to bring. Show me what the young men offer you in their extremity. They were cut off from the temple and the altar, with no sacrifice, nothing of their own to bring. What could they offer? They offer what they still had: a contrite and humble heart, a whole-hearted following, a seeking of your face, a trust in your mercy. And they pray that such a heart might be accepted in place of the sacrifices they could not bring. This reflects a truth that runs through Scripture: that you accept a contrite and humble heart, that a broken and contrite spirit is an offering you do not despise. When I have nothing else to bring to you, no worthiness of my own, I can still come to you with a contrite and humble heart, following you wholeheartedly, seeking your face, trusting in your mercy. This is an offering you accept. Take that to my heart, for a contrite, humble heart is an offering you accept, even when I have nothing else to bring. When I feel I have nothing worthy to offer you, help me offer you a contrite and humble heart, Lord, following you with all my heart and trusting your mercy, not my own offering, knowing that you receive the humble, contrite heart brought to you.