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Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International. |
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Like-Minded Friends
“Daniel spoke with the attendant… ‘Please test us for ten days
on a diet of vegetables and water,’ Daniel said. ‘At the end of the ten days,
see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food…
At the end of ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and
better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by
the king.”1 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four young men
who had been taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. These young men
were of Judah’s royal family of nobility, and were strong, healthy,
good-looking, and intelligent. The King ordered them to be trained for three
years in the language and literature of Babylon and had assigned them food and
wine from his own kitchens. Once their training was completed, they would enter
the royal service. However, the conviction these young men had, and their faithfulness
and obedience to the Lord was priority from the start. They chose not to contaminate
themselves with the unacceptable foods being offered to them, and in the end
proved to be healthier than their fellow trainees. Because of their obedience
to God, they were blessed with an unusual aptitude for understanding every
aspect of literature and wisdom, and Daniel was given the special ability to
interpret dreams (Dan. 1:17). They faced some extreme consequences because of
their obedience, but God was their protector through it all. Like Daniel and his friends, we, too, are told not to “contaminate”
our bodies with all that is offered in this world. Romans 12:1-2 says, “I plead
with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them
be a living and holy sacrifice " the kind he will find acceptable… Don’t copy
the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new
person by changing the way you think…” From experience I have learned that it
is easier to abstain from all the temptations of this world when you surround
yourself with like-minded people who are also trying to serve and please God above
all else. Even when it is hard to stand for what is right, it is always worth
it to obey God. Nothing can compare to a life blessed by God! Suggested prayer: Dear God, please give me friends that
will walk with me in obedience to Your Word. Help me never conform to the
customs of this world, even if “everyone else is doing it”. Help me make a
difference for good and honor you with my life. Thank you for hearing and answering
my prayer. In Jesus’ name, amen. 1. Daniel
1:11-13, 15. Today’s Encounter was written by: Crystal B. |
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