Hello love,
I hope you are doing fantastic this day by the good grace of God. In today's blog post, we will be looking at a special "character" in the bible by the name of Daniel. Daniel was a man who loved and depended wholeheartedly on his God and one truth I've come to know is this; anyone who truly hopes in the Name of The Lord will never be put to shame. Join me as we take a closer look at Daniel chapter 1, verses 8-15.
In the chapter, we meet a young Daniel, an Israelite of nobility who had just been captured by the king of Babylon. Now enslaved, he was hand-picked along with a few others (upon meeting a certain criteria) to serve in the king's palace. The study really begins with Daniel's attitude while in the three-year training program, still yet a slave, in the palace. Each man was assigned a daily amount of food and wine from the king's table in order to remain strong and healthy for use. However, Daniel (along with three other Hebrew boys) decided not to participate in the festivities because he had long decided to honor the Lord with his life. Prior to this time, the Israelites had been given a strict dietary order from God, where they were not to indulge in certain kinds of food. Now I ask you, what is your attitude in a foreign place? Especially when it feels like no one else is watching. There were other Israelites in the king's palace, yet they all decided to assimilate without question, into what had been presented to them. Daniel, probably no more than eighteen years old at the time, knew God for himself and had already pledged in his heart to honor Him in all circumstances. Amazingly, Daniel took the bold step of refusing to eat even without thinking of the consequences. Even if death, he was more than prepared to face it. See another thing is, when we do step out on faith to honor God, He favors our cause (vs. 9). Just as the Lord did for Daniel, so I believe He will do even today for you and I.
Now let's look at verse 15, which easily proves that there's something on the other side of our obedience. After the ten days of eating strictly vegetables and drinking water, Daniel (along with the three Hebrew boys), looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food (vs. 15). Who says the Lord does not honor faith? Daniel's obedience gave room for others to come to know and see the power of God at work. I always say it's not about us. Your obedience is not about you, but rather, about the souls connected to you. As you choose to walk boldly for God today, remember He has your back covered. Yes, it takes great sacrifice to do the things God wants us to do, but the peace that comes from doing so cannot be attained elsewhere.
My prayer for you and I is to walk in the boldness, dependence and trust Daniel exhibited, as enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit. God loves you and as you choose to honor Him with your life today, may your cup never run dry.
Love,
Elsie Abena Addo