Overview of: DanielToday's Reading:
Daniel 1:1 - 2:23
"Daniel's Resolve"
Focus Verses: Daniel 1:8,11-12,15-16
8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. - - - 11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. - - - 15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
Insight:
Daniel, like Ezekiel, prophesied during the time of Israel's exile and captivity. From lands he had conquered, the King of Babylon selected bright young promising men with the intention of preparing them to serve his purposes and his kingdom. Daniel, however, never forgot that his life and his purpose belonged to the God of Israel. He made up his mind to honor God in the details of his daily life, trusting that God would bless his devotion. God’s blessing was so apparent, even the kings Daniel served came to realize that Daniel's god truly was God.
Response and Action:
My mindset and desires of my heart are important. I want to honor God and put him first in the daily details and routines of my life. I want to live out my faith and commitment to God in my schedule, my diet, my study, my habits, and my work. The evidence of a consistent life well lived is a stronger testimony for God than words can ever be. People cannot argue with a life of faith that proves itself in peace, integrity, balance, strength, and wellness.
O God, help me to turn away from what is wrong and do what is right. Help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. Help me to be a good steward of all you have given to me. Grant me the wisdom and the will to guard my heart, feed my spirit, stimulate my mind, and care for my body. Help me to live a disciplined life with a heart aimed toward honoring and enjoying you. Though Christ, I pray. Amen.
New Testament for Today: Ephesians 5:15-18
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
In Context: Ephesians 4:17 - 5:20
Proverb for Today: Prov. 11:3
"The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity."
Recommended Reading:
Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth
by Richard Foster