Daniel (Greek) 1:6-10: a reflection

6Now among these were of the children of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7The prince of the eunuchs gave names to them: to Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. 8But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9Now God made Daniel find kindness and compassion in the sight of the prince of the eunuchs. 10The prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink. For why should he see your faces worse looking than the youths who are of your own age? Then you would endanger my head with the king.”

Taken as a young captive into a foreign court, surrounded by pressures to conform, Daniel makes a firm inward resolve to remain faithful to God, not to defile himself with the king's food. Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's delicacies, the account says. Before the pressure came, Daniel had settled it in his heart: he would remain faithful to God, whatever the cost. His faithfulness was not a matter of the moment, decided under pressure, but a firm resolve made beforehand, in his heart, that steadied him when the testing came. This shows the value of a firm inward resolve to remain faithful, settled beforehand. Daniel purposed in his heart to remain faithful to God. A firm resolve made beforehand steadies us under pressure. Settle in your heart to be faithful before the testing comes. Faithfulness is steadied by a resolve made in advance.

Notice that Daniel's faithfulness rested on a resolve made in his heart, beforehand. He was a young captive in a foreign court, surrounded by pressures to conform, to go along, to defile himself with what was set before him. In such a situation, it would be easy to be swept along, to compromise in the moment under pressure. But Daniel had already settled the matter: he purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself. His faithfulness was not decided on the spot, under the pressure of the moment, but rested on a firm inward resolve made in advance. This is instructive for us. We often face pressures to compromise our faithfulness to God, to go along with what everyone else does, to defile ourselves in one way or another; and if we have not settled the matter beforehand, we are far more likely to be swept along in the moment. But if we have, like Daniel, purposed in our hearts in advance to be faithful, resolved beforehand where we will and will not go, that resolve steadies us when the pressure comes. It is wise to settle our commitments in our hearts before the testing arrives, so that we are not deciding under pressure but standing on a resolve already made. We do well to purpose in our hearts, beforehand, to remain faithful to God. Settle your commitment to God in your heart before the pressure comes. A resolve made in advance steadies us against the pressure to compromise. Purpose in your heart to be faithful, and stand on that resolve. Decide beforehand where you will and will not go.

That is worth taking to heart, for a firm inward resolve to remain faithful, made beforehand, steadies us when the pressure to compromise comes, as Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself. We can leave our faithfulness undecided until the moment of pressure, and be swept along; but Daniel had settled it in his heart in advance, and that resolve held him firm. Resolve made beforehand steadies us. Do not leave your faithfulness to be decided under pressure; purpose in your heart beforehand to be faithful to God, and stand on that resolve. Purpose in your heart beforehand to remain faithful to God, settling your commitment in advance so that it steadies you when the pressure to compromise comes, as Daniel, taken as a young captive into a foreign court and surrounded by pressures to conform, purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's delicacies; for Daniel's faithfulness was not decided on the spot under the pressure of the moment but rested on a firm inward resolve made in advance, and in such a situation, surrounded by pressures to go along and compromise, it would be easy to be swept along in the moment, but Daniel had already settled the matter in his heart, which steadied him when the testing came, and this is instructive for us, since we often face pressures to compromise our faithfulness to God and go along with what everyone else does, and if we have not settled the matter beforehand we are far more likely to be swept along, but if we have, like Daniel, purposed in our hearts in advance to be faithful, resolving beforehand where we will and will not go, that resolve steadies us when the pressure comes, so that it is wise to settle our commitments in our hearts before the testing arrives and to stand on a resolve already made rather than deciding under pressure.

Lord, taken as a young captive into a foreign court, surrounded by pressures to conform, Daniel makes a firm inward resolve to remain faithful to you, not to defile himself with the king's food. Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's delicacies, the account says. Before the pressure came, Daniel had settled it in his heart: he would remain faithful to you, whatever the cost. His faithfulness was not a matter of the moment, decided under pressure, but a firm resolve made beforehand, in his heart, that steadied him when the testing came. This shows the value of a firm inward resolve to remain faithful, settled beforehand. Show me that Daniel's faithfulness rested on a resolve made in his heart, beforehand. He was a young captive surrounded by pressures to conform, to go along, to compromise. In such a situation, it would be easy to be swept along in the moment. But Daniel had already settled the matter: he purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself. His faithfulness rested on a firm inward resolve made in advance. This is instructive for me. I often face pressures to compromise my faithfulness to you, to go along with what everyone else does; and if I have not settled the matter beforehand, I am far more likely to be swept along in the moment. But if I have, like Daniel, purposed in my heart in advance to be faithful, resolved beforehand where I will and will not go, that resolve steadies me when the pressure comes. Take that to my heart, for a firm inward resolve to remain faithful, made beforehand, steadies me when the pressure to compromise comes. Keep me from leaving my faithfulness to be decided under pressure; help me purpose in my heart beforehand to remain faithful to you, Lord, settling my commitment in advance and standing on that resolve when the testing comes, as Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself.