Daniel 1

Clive Urquhart

Choice is a really powerful thing. The choices we make determine how we live and the outcomes that happen in our lives.

In the Bible there is a young guy called Daniel. He was living in the city of Jerusalem, where he had a comfortable lifestyle as part of the nobility and a promising future. There seemed to be no particular pressures or danger to his life. Then, one day the city was attacked and taken over. Along with other young men he was taken into captivity in Babylon, which was the most anti-God nation at the time. They wanted to change his identity, change his culture, change all his learning and thinking habits. They wanted to redefine who he was and shape him into the Babylonian culture and belief system.

Suddenly there was pressure on his life. What was his response going to be?

I believe his response was determined by the choices and decisions he had already made about his life while he was still in his home city, before there was any pressure or danger to his life. He had already determined that no matter what happens to him he would stick to what he believed and to what he knew was right.

In verse 8 it says, 'Daniel resolved in his heart not to defile himself with the royal food and wine.' In Babylon the royal food and wine would have been offered on an altar to a false god or idol before being served. For Daniel this would be going against what he believed and would make him unclean before God.

Daniel's decision to honour God caused the Babylonian official to show favour to him.

Daniel was allowed to eat vegetables and water (not the most exciting diet!) for 10 days. At the end of that time he looked healthier and more nourished than the other young men.

As a result God gave Daniel knowledge and understanding of many things including visions and dreams of all kinds.

By the end of his training Daniel was found to be 10 times better than all the magicians and enchanters in the Babylonian kingdom. This caused him to be raised up by the King, ultimately becoming the Prime Minister of the nation that had tried to change him. The king decreed that everyone in his kingdom had to worship the God of Daniel!

What a turn around!

It all started with one simple choice over food and wine. The outcomes of that choice and the subsequent ones in the way he lived were powerful ones. It caused the favour of God to operate through his life, all those around him were affected and even the nation was impacted by the power of choice because someone had resolved to serve and please God no matter what the pressure or possible consequences.

We are making choices and decisions every day. There is so much pressure to conform to patterns of behaviour, others opinions, convictions or beliefs.

Daniel faced the same challenges as we do today. His choices caused him to jut out from the crowd. At first it was not easy but God came through. He could see beyond the moment and made choices that would result in a God outcome.

Make a resolve in your heart and life today to choose what will honour God and the favour of God will go before you.

Have an awesome day.