Daniel 1:8-15
Daniel was a very young man when taken captive by the Babylonians. Some commentators think he may have been as young as 11. No matter the age, his understanding and ability had caused the king to place him, as well as his friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in a position of favor. These young men were being groomed to be advisers to the king, a process that took three years (Daniel 1:5).
Daniel must have felt himself a leader of sorts over the others, as he spoke on behalf of the group, purposing in his heart that he and the other three would not eat the meat or drink the wine that was appointed to them by the king. His conviction no doubt stemmed from the fact that the meat and wine was also used in the worship of idols, and as children of God, they wanted no part in idol worship.
There was a great risk in taking the stand that Daniel did, for he challenged the eunuchs to feed him and his friends only “pulse”, which are vegetables; with water to drink. He stated that after 10 days, he and the others would be in better shape than those who ate the meat of the king. This would take a supernatural move in order to come to pass, but remember, Daniel had purposed it in his heart.
The Lord moved over the course of the next week and a half, making the four Hebrew children, “fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat” (Daniel 1:15). There were certainly no more nutrients in the food of these children, as the eunuch surely knew, so this health was a miracle from God, and the first in many instances where these young Hebrews would “refuse to bow”.
Purpose something in your heart today; whatever it is. We will do very little to effect this world or build the kingdom of God if the purpose does not make its way from our head to our heart. God is not looking for someone to eat only vegetables and drink only water; that isn’t the point. He is looking for someone to purpose in their heart to be used of God. He wants to pour His vitamins and minerals of the Spirit into every child of God who will yield, and prosper them with the goodness of heaven. We must place our hearts in His loving care, purposed to allow Christ in us, to bring glory out of us.
Go today with the spirit of Daniel, unwilling to compromise your knowledge of His love and forgiveness for you. Let no one steal that glorious knowledge away from you, and be prepared for God to make your countenance fairer than all those around you!
Daniel was a very young man when taken captive by the Babylonians. Some commentators think he may have been as young as 11. No matter the age, his understanding and ability had caused the king to place him, as well as his friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in a position of favor. These young men were being groomed to be advisers to the king, a process that took three years (Daniel 1:5).
Daniel must have felt himself a leader of sorts over the others, as he spoke on behalf of the group, purposing in his heart that he and the other three would not eat the meat or drink the wine that was appointed to them by the king. His conviction no doubt stemmed from the fact that the meat and wine was also used in the worship of idols, and as children of God, they wanted no part in idol worship.
There was a great risk in taking the stand that Daniel did, for he challenged the eunuchs to feed him and his friends only “pulse”, which are vegetables; with water to drink. He stated that after 10 days, he and the others would be in better shape than those who ate the meat of the king. This would take a supernatural move in order to come to pass, but remember, Daniel had purposed it in his heart.
The Lord moved over the course of the next week and a half, making the four Hebrew children, “fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat” (Daniel 1:15). There were certainly no more nutrients in the food of these children, as the eunuch surely knew, so this health was a miracle from God, and the first in many instances where these young Hebrews would “refuse to bow”.
Purpose something in your heart today; whatever it is. We will do very little to effect this world or build the kingdom of God if the purpose does not make its way from our head to our heart. God is not looking for someone to eat only vegetables and drink only water; that isn’t the point. He is looking for someone to purpose in their heart to be used of God. He wants to pour His vitamins and minerals of the Spirit into every child of God who will yield, and prosper them with the goodness of heaven. We must place our hearts in His loving care, purposed to allow Christ in us, to bring glory out of us.
Go today with the spirit of Daniel, unwilling to compromise your knowledge of His love and forgiveness for you. Let no one steal that glorious knowledge away from you, and be prepared for God to make your countenance fairer than all those around you!
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