(Daniel 1:12) "Test your servants for ten days; let us be given
vegetables to eat and water to drink.”
The
irony of this retort from Daniel is that most vegetarians would love this verse
but for the wrong reason; it is not a stanza to prove that God is for vegetarians
over omnivores, it has very little to do with the type of food eaten, but
everything to-do with the perception people have with food. The simple question
we need to ask ourselves, has the food we are about to eat been sanctified with
thanksgiving and prayer? “The one who observes the day,
observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord,
since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of
the Lord and gives thanks to God.” (Romans 14:6)
Daniel
set out to prove to the king’s guard that he would take nothing from the nobility
of the time but that his God would be his blessing and he would not be dependent
on the delicacies from the king’s palace. He would not even dare to meddle with
it! On offer was the very best from the king’s palace against the norm of
society, which the masses would have eaten on a daily basis. Although it would
not have been unlawful for Daniel to eat the king’s meat, Daniel needed to
prove to his guard, the eunuch that watched over him, that his God would bless
him against adversity and the results would prove his God to be legitimate. Daniel unequivocally knew that his God would
reward his obedience!
“But
without faith it is impossible to please
him: for he that cometh to God must
believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently
seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) - It was all about his God’s and His blessing. There was no
other option for Daniel! If only we could begin to apply this type of mind set
to our lives. It was all about faith! He knew that his God would come alongside,
blessing his endeavour, bringing glory to His God, the God of Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob! All we need learn from this account is to place our God before our
own wants! It is not about us but all about Him! We need to find a place of
rest in our lives; we must nestle, eventually finding comfort with total dependency
upon our God! But the more we embrace this world and its ensnaring systems, the
harder that will be!
When
I glance around, I am fully aware that we as a nation are a long way off Daniel
and his counterpart’s example. Nevertheless with that said we serve such a
great God, all it will take from Him is to show us favour, for the wheel will
turn and we will become more dependent upon Him. We need to diligently cry out
to Him! How I long to be amongst that number! Where do you fit in? But to find
favour we must not bow down to the systems of this world, we must stand up when
all are bowing and bow when all are standing.
“They
declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! You, O king, have
made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre,
trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. And
whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery
furnace.” (Daniel
3:9-11)
Will
we bow to the golden image (the systems of this world), or will we learn to
walk by faith, trusting our God? We may well end up in a fiery furnace, but our
God shall see us through, come what may! This is a truth I am fully persuaded
of! And even if we lose our lives we shall certainly receive our reward, to
ever be with the only true God, our God and king. Trophies of God’s grace! To
ever be with the Lord Jesus Christ and what a day that shall be! Even so come
quickly Lord Jesus, Amen!
Signing
off
Tyrone
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