DECISIVENESS 2 - Do the right thing, even when nobody's watching.

Decisiveness 2 - English file

Entschlossenheit 2 - German file

Devotional Thoughts about Daniel Chapter 1

Try to imagine the seismic shift in Daniel’s life when, in the aftermath of siege and defeat in Jerusalem, he was ripped away from his family, his home and everything he knew, and taken far away to Babylon. Although he was among the “lucky ones” destined for an enviable career path, the experience must have been traumatic for him.

Still, one of the first things we’re told about Daniel is that he made a decision which set the course for his long lifetime of serving God as an interpreter of dreams, a statesman and a prophet: He wouldn’t defile himself (1:8).

God had given Daniel good favor with the personnel, resulting in permission to try and then continue an experiment he had proposed (1:9-16). Daniel’s decisiveness allowed him and his friends to keep the Jewish dietary laws and probably also to avoid idolatrous table ceremonies.

The rest of the chapter is an unqualified success story about Daniel and his friends. God had highly equipped them for His service while making them valuable in the service of Nebuchadnezzar, too.

In our society, most adults have the option of doing nearly anything they want. But even many Christians don’t handle that freedom well. Although we know that decisions come with consequences, the path of least resistance or the urge to indulge ourselves often wins out.

Lord, please help me keep the goal of pleasing You as my first priority, and enable me to do it.

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