Determination

“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” Daniel 1:8

Everything in Daniel’s life had been turned upside down. His city was overrun by invaders, and he was taken captive and forced to make the long march from Jerusalem to Babylon. His family, his home, his belongings, and his social standing were all stripped away from him; they even changed his name. But Daniel loved the Lord, and he decided that no matter what happened to him, he was not going to break his covenant with God. Daniel had made up his mind. Come what may, he was not going to eat the food that was declared unclean in the Law of Moses. With this determination rooted deep within his heart, Daniel began to seek for a way to avoid conflict and prolong his life. He respectfully requested a dietary exception, and when that was denied, he sought to allay his superior’s fears by proposing an experiment. God miraculously honored Daniel’s faith and determination, and He used this initial phase of testing in Babylon to put Daniel in position to have an impact on the course of history. Life is sometimes like a raging river that can carry us along with overwhelming force. Daniel is a great example to us because he understood that his relationship with God was more important than everything that was happening around him. Like Daniel, we should purpose in our hearts that we will always be faithful to God and His Word.