Choosing God’s Table

But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine

Daniel 1:8a

Daniel was most likely in his teens when Nebuchadnezzar’s army besieged his hometown, Jerusalem, and took him captive.

He walked approximately 1600 miles from Jerusalem to Babylon.

There is a chance he was made a eunuch.

Daniel had a lot of reasons to be angry with God.

He had every reason to say, “God, where are you? Are you even there? Do you care?”

He had reason to rage at God.

After all, he was a jew, one of God’s ‘chosen’ people. Why should he have to be dealing with any of the mess that he found himself in? Daniel had done nothing to deserve what he was living through.

Yet, we see NO sign of anger toward God in Daniel’s response to his situation.

If he looked at his situation with human eyes, Daniel would assume that he’d been abandoned by God.

In fact, when this teenage boy was given the opportunity to eat from King Neuchadnezzar’s table, which was surely a delight to any teenage boy, he said No!

If he looked at his situation with human eyes, Daniel would assume that he’d been abandoned by God. Or, he could assume that God had never existed. He could have eaten the delicacies of Nebuchadnezzar’s table.

But, Daniel was wise. He knew that God is God no matter the circumstance you find yourself in! God is unable to be anything but good.

At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. Daniel 1:15

Yes, when Daniel could have turned his back on God, he chose to do the opposite.

Daniel chose to serve God when it would have been easier to turn his back on Him! The immediate result was that he was in better physical health than the young men who ate from Nebuchadnezzar’s table.

The long term result was an amazing life filled with favor of God.

Today, there is much difficulty in our world.

We could gnash our teeth at God because he seems to be missing in the midst of difficulty.

We can choose to scream, “Where are you” and then walk away when we think He doesn’t answer.

We can choose to scream, “Where are you” and then walk away when we think He doesn’t answer.

We can fill our mind with the news, negativity, and anger toward God.

Which is filling our mind at the the world’s table.

Or, we can choose to fill ourselves with the Word of God. We can know that He is with us despite our circumstance.

If we do, we will come out of this difficulty like Daniel. Looking better than those that eat at the world’s table and strategically placed for an amazing life of God’s blessing.