Like Daniel

Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were among the many young men taken from their homes in Israel and brought as captives into Babylon.  You may remember some stories about them.  Maybe the story of Daniel and the lion's den comes to mind or the story about the burning furnace that didn't consume Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  These men will forever be known for making big decisions to honor the Lord even when their lives were on the line. But long before these men had to make the big decisions of life and death they... "resolved".

Daniel 1:8
But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.

Daniel resolved not to defile himself and evidently so did the other three (Daniel 1:11-12).  Don't overlook this event in the lives of these four men.  Although they may have been living in a new country they resolved to be set apart - to be different from the place in which they lived.  Ultimately, their resolution was one that placed the Lord first despite what people around them were doing or popular opinion was communicating.

Not only did they resolve, it appears that they resolved with hope.

Daniel 1:11-13
11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.”

Why else would they ask to be tested except that they resolved with a hope they would pass the test.

Each of us will be tested in this life.  As Jesus himself said in John 16:33, "In the world you will have tribulation".  The person that will be most equipped to pass the test then will be the person who resolves in their heart now to place the Lord first.  Had these four young men not resolved to place God first the story may have ended differently.  Just as Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we too must resolve in our hearts to place the Lord first.

Daniel 1:14-17
14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.

You may think that you are too busy to pray or to spend time in the word, but take the time to sit at the table of the Lord to eat from Him and see... just see if you are not stronger than you were and more able to handle the things in this world.