God Honors Our Devotion to Him
In the first chapter of Daniel, we learn that Daniel and his friends faced a dilemma that echoes in our own lives: What do we do when faithfulness to God puts us at odds with the world around us? Our challenge is to live under God’s authority while remaining in submission to the law of the land. However, when the two collide, our first instinct should be to seek the Lord’s guidance before moving forward. Daniel’s example shows us what that looks like in practice. If he had bluntly declared, “I won’t eat this food!” he wouldn’t have lasted long. Thankfully, the Lord gave him the wisdom to humbly seek permission from the person in authority over him rather than stage a confrontation. (Dan. 1:8-13) God honored Daniel’s commitment and provided a way for him to live righteously — not through defiance, but through discernment. Daniel and his three friends stand out for the remarkable lives they lived, but it’s important to realize that the determining factor was never their own greatness. Rather, it was their devotion to a heavenly Father who does extraordinary things in lives that are fully surrendered to Him. Keep in mind their example of faithfulness, and watch what God does when you make yourself available to Him.
