Wow, it’s been quite a while since I wrote a blog. This is totally my fault as I have had so many opportunities and convictions from God, yet allowed my business to get the best of me and has kicked my but mentally and emotionally (engagement, Christmas, wedding planning, internship, etc.) in a good way of course. It has been quite an adventure since I last posted and I am so grateful to God for the grace He has given me…so I am back, refreshed, and ready to begin my posting again. I trust that my blogs are pushing you all to apply the Gospel which is yours in Christ alone, by His grace alone, and by faith alone!
The Old Testament is always an interesting read. Interesting because it is the New Testament concealed (with the New Testament being the OT revealed). Yet, often times we let that dictate us limiting the amount of time spent studying the Old Testament, when there is so much amazing truth God has for us (proper truth and application of 1 Timothy 3:16 here!).
This morning I was reading in Daniel. I love reading about men of God who faced trials and situations that were incredible because it shows me God’s faithfulness to those He loves! As I read this morning I came across two verses with one word that jumped off the page and hit me!
“But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs.” Daniel 1:8-9 (ESV)
The word that hit me was the word “resolve.” The Hebrew word/phrase would be translated even further as “to set” his “inner man or will.”
Let’s back up and give a quick history lesson and set the situation up! Judah was besieged by King “Nebby” (I don’t want to spell Nebuchadnezzar all the time) and was overtaken. King Nebby then takes vessels from the house of God, people from the royal family, and the best of the best youths of Judah to be brought back to the land of Babylon. Then, he tells the young lads that they are going to become his, study for 3 years, and basically become Babylonians (culturally change, domestically change, and religiously change).
Do you get what has just happened? Daniel’s world just gets rocked! Not only does his country get overthrown by foreigners, he gets taken away from all his family, friends, and faith! He gets taken back then told he will become a different person! I’m sure there are much more items I could list, but hopefully you get the picture of what Daniel had lost and was going through.
Then the phrase comes, “but Daniel resolved”!
Are you kidding me? After all this happens, after all the seemingly bad situational, circumstantial, and emotional crap hits Daniel, he sets his will to not defile God by conforming! What an incredible example of passion, devotion, and commitment to honor God despite the trials and crap that hit his life. Another big thing to recognize is the next half of the verse shows that Daniel’s resolve pushed him into action. He went to the head eunuch to ask not to defile himself by eating the king’s food!
God calls us to be completely, 100% devoted to Him in every aspect of our lives no matter the circumstances, situations, or societal acceptances! This devotion should push our hearts to have the resolve to follow God no matter what. What areas in our lives are we letting our resolve to honor God and devote our lives to Him slip? Are we excusing our 90% resolve because circumstances have gotten worse? Are we calloused to the compromises we make because “everyone else is doing it”? Or are we resolving in our hearts to be devoted completely to God?
This challenge ends with an amazing promise. Verse 9 shows God’s “faithfulness and compassion” towards Daniel. Because of God’s amazing grace, He gives His children compassion and is always faithful to His people! What an amazing promise! It is very hard for me to have the resolve that Daniel had…but God’s faithfulness and compassion because of Christ’s work on the cross gives me incredible motivation! What motivates us…circumstances and trials…or God’s mercy, compassion, and faithfulness?
The Old Testament is always an interesting read. Interesting because it is the New Testament concealed (with the New Testament being the OT revealed). Yet, often times we let that dictate us limiting the amount of time spent studying the Old Testament, when there is so much amazing truth God has for us (proper truth and application of 1 Timothy 3:16 here!).
This morning I was reading in Daniel. I love reading about men of God who faced trials and situations that were incredible because it shows me God’s faithfulness to those He loves! As I read this morning I came across two verses with one word that jumped off the page and hit me!
“But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs.” Daniel 1:8-9 (ESV)
The word that hit me was the word “resolve.” The Hebrew word/phrase would be translated even further as “to set” his “inner man or will.”
Let’s back up and give a quick history lesson and set the situation up! Judah was besieged by King “Nebby” (I don’t want to spell Nebuchadnezzar all the time) and was overtaken. King Nebby then takes vessels from the house of God, people from the royal family, and the best of the best youths of Judah to be brought back to the land of Babylon. Then, he tells the young lads that they are going to become his, study for 3 years, and basically become Babylonians (culturally change, domestically change, and religiously change).
Do you get what has just happened? Daniel’s world just gets rocked! Not only does his country get overthrown by foreigners, he gets taken away from all his family, friends, and faith! He gets taken back then told he will become a different person! I’m sure there are much more items I could list, but hopefully you get the picture of what Daniel had lost and was going through.
Then the phrase comes, “but Daniel resolved”!
Are you kidding me? After all this happens, after all the seemingly bad situational, circumstantial, and emotional crap hits Daniel, he sets his will to not defile God by conforming! What an incredible example of passion, devotion, and commitment to honor God despite the trials and crap that hit his life. Another big thing to recognize is the next half of the verse shows that Daniel’s resolve pushed him into action. He went to the head eunuch to ask not to defile himself by eating the king’s food!
God calls us to be completely, 100% devoted to Him in every aspect of our lives no matter the circumstances, situations, or societal acceptances! This devotion should push our hearts to have the resolve to follow God no matter what. What areas in our lives are we letting our resolve to honor God and devote our lives to Him slip? Are we excusing our 90% resolve because circumstances have gotten worse? Are we calloused to the compromises we make because “everyone else is doing it”? Or are we resolving in our hearts to be devoted completely to God?
This challenge ends with an amazing promise. Verse 9 shows God’s “faithfulness and compassion” towards Daniel. Because of God’s amazing grace, He gives His children compassion and is always faithful to His people! What an amazing promise! It is very hard for me to have the resolve that Daniel had…but God’s faithfulness and compassion because of Christ’s work on the cross gives me incredible motivation! What motivates us…circumstances and trials…or God’s mercy, compassion, and faithfulness?
