Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Youth with Christ
Daniel 1:1-15

Susan Thomas
Long Island MTC, Merrick, NY

8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the royal rations of food and wine; so he asked the palace master to allow him not to defile himself.
 
The story of Daniel is one of courage and conviction. Daniel and his friends, just teenagers at the time, were taken as hostages to Babylon and forced to live in a foreign and  godless culture that was not their own. The Babylonians did everything they could to turn Daniel and his friends from their Hebrew culture and faith, changing their names and even forcing them to eat food from the kings table. They held onto their faith and belief in the one true God and Father and refused to compromise their beliefs in the face of tremendous opposition. Daniel could have suffered severe punishment, even death, for not agreeing to the king’s decrees. But Daniel trusted in God and believed that God was greater than his circumstances. We read in Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart. And do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Though Daniel was young, he honored God by living out his obedience to God and not giving into the pressures of this world. He was a living testimony to the people around him and God gave him success and favor throughout his life.
Whether we are young or old, we are challenged every day to live in a way that honors God, not compromising our beliefs or values. We need to make a decision to choose God over the world, to choose His will over ours, to adopt God’s ways over the ways of the world.  Like Daniel, we need to hold onto our convictions and refuse to lose our identity as children of the One True God.   We need to be a living testimony of God’s love and God’s faithfulness to our family, our friends, and to the world at large.

PRAYER


Lord, help us to honor You with our words, our thoughts and our actions, bringing glory and  praise  to You alone, our God and Father. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify  your  Father  in heaven. "– Matthew 5:16

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