In 606 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came up against the city of Jerusalem and carried off the first wave of captives. Among those were three young men (Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah), who are better known by their Babylonian names: Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego. 
These God-loving, God-fearing men refused to capitulate at all to the pressure to turn their back on Jehovah and to “worship the gold image” that the king had set up (Dan. 3:8-10).
When Nebuchadnezzar threatened to cast them into the fiery furnace and further disparaged Jehovah, these men confidently stated that “our God whom we serve is able to deliver us…and He will deliver us” (3:17). They continued: “But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up” (3:18).
Here’s the question today: What if persecution we endure as a Christian doesn’t get better? What if it gets worse? Our answer, like theirs: We serve God. Period. Exclamation point!