ICS Daily Devotions
Honor God Above All Else
Mat 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and ALL these things shall be added to you.
We need to put the Lordship of Christ in our lives, consecrating ourselves to Him, to walk in His ways and truth as top priority in our lives. It is putting absolute trust and faith in God when we choose to seek Him and His kingdom first. It will be walk of faith for Him to provide ALL things for us when we make choices that might affect our lives and career. We have to be convinced that He is omniscient and has a good plan for our lives. We can either choose the ways of the world or the ways of God.
Dan 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
Daniel is an example of a person who consecrated his life to God and lived out God’s will for his life. He was working in the king’s palace. Our job is our ministry in the world just as the pastor’s ministry is in the church and the community. You have to know that God has called you to this job and the role that you have in the company. We are to consecrate ourselves to serve God in the market place, to be an agent of influence and a witness for Him. Therefore, we need to be built up in the Lord well so that we will not waver in our faith in times of difficulties.
Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.
The greatest challenge before we even make the decision whether to pursue the world or God is the fear of men that will bring a snare into our lives. It was almost unheard of when a subject and foreigner in the land of Babylon would speak out that the king’s food would cause him to be defiled. He cannot go any lower in the strata in society. Do you know how absurd it would sound to the people in the palace? Praise the Lord that Daniel’s trust was in God to keep him safe and well when he made the decision. It was an important step to take because if he started compromising in the beginning then his life would be a mess!
The chief of eunuchs was a power figure in the palace and defying their instruction is almost suicidal at times. They were the ones who whispered into the ears of the king. They were able to sway the king’s thoughts, opinions and decisions. They would either favor or destroy you if you do not get into their good books.
The fear of men will choke us and affect our faith in God. In fact, there will definitely be a battlefield in our mind regarding what people will think about us. A siege or a conspiracy to topple us from our position are possible scenarios that will play out in our thought life.
Daniel’s purpose not to defile himself meant that he had made a conscientious decision to honor God and not to compromise on his values. He had processed it in his mind and heart. He was emotionally and mentally prepared to face the music and the necessary persecution for such a decision. It was a heart’s decision just like we have made a decision in our heart to follow Jesus. Daniel was ready to pay the price for the stand he was taking and the consequences that come with it. It was a commitment to his faith and obedience to God! He was living up to his convictions. What have we learned from Daniel’s experience? It is important to have core conviction of what we believe and be consistent in our faith in God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Series: Living in the Lion’s Den
