Faithfulness rewarded
Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives... But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel... Daniel 1:3, 8-9 From the text, Daniel and his three friends were part of the Israelites taken captives and were exiled in Babylon. They were under the authority of King Nebuchadnezzar and his purpose was to persecute those who were in exile by commanding them to submit to his authority. The names were changed and they were required to obey every decree the King ordered to be implemented. Daniel and his three friends were commanded to give up their moral standards. But instead of giving in to the pressure ignoring the fact that non-compliance to the decree could lead to further persecution, Daniel and his friends did not compromise. Daniel did not allow the temptations interfere with his commitment and faithfulness to God. He believed that God was more powerful than the King of Babylon and his allegiance was to God alone. When we came to know Christ as our Lord and Savior, God provided us the resources we need so we could stand against temptations. He equipped us through the Holy Spirit working in and through us so we will not yield to Satan’s deceptions. “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3). In order for us to experience the joy of following God, we must be obedient to Him. The Scripture is filled with examples of men and women that trusted God by believing that He could work through them so they will have a significant influence to others. Esther was instrumental in saving the lives of Israelites when God placed her at a specific moment in time (Esther 4:14). Joseph was used by God so he could gain influence when he became the advisor to the Egyptian Pharaoh. God used him to save his family and Jacob from a devastating famine (Genesis 41:39-40). We, too, have been placed by God in a specific moment in time so we could show others the difference God makes in the life of those that placed their trust in Him. It will be difficult to stand against the temptations thrown to us by Satan if we will rely on our strength. It is only by trusting God that we could overcome the temptations. “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world” (1 John 4:4). Just like Daniel and his friends, our faithfulness will be rewarded.
Blessings,
Noel De Guzman
www.my-wbc.com