A Man Set Apart: Daniel 1 (Daily Devo)
God’s sovereignty, or control, can be a heated topic. Some think that if he controls and dictates everything, then that would make us like robots. Others think God controlling every little decision creates a warm ‘theology blanket’ for their soul.
For me, the more I read the Bible, the more I see God’s control over everything. Even when I’m not actively looking for it, it seems to find me. Maybe it’s similar to when you buy a grey minivan then you start to see grey minivans everywhere (for the record I’m a proud dad rockin’ the grey minivan).
In the scriptures I see God’s control from every little decision and outcome, even the very outcome of every single Vegas dice roll (Proverbs 16:33) to our unique DNA, even the thoughts and steps we take (Proverbs 16:9). I see God’s sovereignty in the good of life and the bad. I see God giving to us (1 Cor. 4:7) and God taking things from us (Job 1:21). I just can’t shy away from saying what I see in the Bible to be true. I’m always up for a rebuttal and to hear the other side of the sovereignty argument, but I believe that the Bible clearly teaches God’s sovereignty over every area of life.
3 THINGS GIVEN BY GOD
We are beginning a new series from the book of Daniel we are calling “A Man Set Apart”. Probably all of us know the famous stories of Daniel. Daniel and the lion’s den or Daniel and all of his amazing dreams that he interpreted or the story of his three friends and the fiery furnace. But as I began reading chapter one, I noticed the phrase “God gave” three different times, something I hadn't noticed before.
Each time it’s used to explain something that God did or gave. The first time was in the context of Israel being sent into exile (not a positive thing). The second was in regard to God’s favor he gave Daniel in dealing with his supervisors, and the third time was in regard to Daniel having skills or abilities. So if we break it down, here is what God ‘gave’:
- Trials / Difficulty / Persecution
- Everyday circumstances
- Attributes / gifts / character traits / learned skills
This phrase is all over the bible too. “What do we have that we have not been given?” Or even Job says, “you give and take away, blessed be the name of the Lord.”
This phrase got me thinking a lot about everything we have from God being given or gifted to us. I started to pray. I was telling God out loud in prayer…”Thank you God for giving me this…” and “thank you God for giving me that..” or “God I see how that was difficult but I acknowledge that it ultimately came from you..” I started to cry and have this very intimate moment with God. It was like the truth of me admitting that God does everything was strengthening my faith and increasing the freedom I was feeling in the Lord.
INCREASE YOUR THANKFULNESS
God has given to us EVERYTHING. Our best response is to say thank you and let that understanding drive us to desire him more and to walk more intimately with him through every gift he brings into our life (and I’m talking about the one’s that aren’t easy too.)
As we read Daniel this week, look at how Daniel responds to the circumstances God brings to him. Does he get mad and turn from God? No. He is faithful and continues to follow God. He is diligent to use the gifts God gave him to glorify him in the midst of a secular environment.
ACKNOWLEDGE THE BAD AND GOOD
Have you been reluctant to give God credit for any circumstances in your life? Often times this happens when tragedy comes. We want to attribute it to the enemy or to living in a sinful world. But what if God orchestrated it for your good (Romans 8)? What if you saw it from that angle? What if it was the best thing for you? (Psalm 84:11).
And what about all the good in your life? Your family, your job or your pets (except for cats)...etc. What have you not said thank you to God for? Are you thinking that you ultimately are responsible for any of the good in your life? If you stop and acknowledge God in everything, you will remove the subtle pride that wants to grow so badly in you. You will start to feel true joy as your thankfulness and gratitude rise.
We are not debating God’s sovereignty here. That will be left for another time : ) What I’m encouraging is that we acknowledge that the Bible is telling us God directed Daniel’s life very specifically, just like he does yours and mine.
If God exiled Daniel and the Israelites for God’s glory and their good, then what negative events has God brought into yours that you aren’t acknowledging? If God gave Daniel skills and abilities that would be used for his glory, what gifts and skills do you have that you haven’t given credit to God?
Stop and give God credit. Admit you don’t see how it all works together but that you can’t deny the truth from the Scriptures. Ask God for the faith to trust him more. Ask him to bring to mind things from your past you’ve been holding on to and ask him to give you true freedom that can only be found by trusting and loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.
Day 1: Daniel 1:1-7
Weekly Catechism: (newcitycatechism.com)
- Q28: What happens after death to those not united to Christ by faith?
- A: At the day of judgment they will receive the fearful but just sentence of condemnation pronounced against them. They will be cast out from the favorable presence of God, into hell, to be justly and grievously punished, forever. (bolded text is for younger children)
READ:
[1] In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. [2] And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god. [3] Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, [4] youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. [5] The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. [6] Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. [7] And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego. - Daniel 1:1-7 (ESV)
Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?
- Suggested Question: What does “the Lord gave…” mean in regards to God’s sovereignty? How can you explain sovereignty to your children?
PRAY:
Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.
- Suggested Prayer: Thank you God for your sovereignty, even when life does not go our way. You can be trusted through it all. Help us to do that.
SING:
Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.
Day 2: Daniel 2:8-16
Weekly Catechism: (newcitycatechism.com)
- Q28: What happens after death to those not united to Christ by faith?
- A: At the day of judgment they will receive the fearful but just sentence of condemnation pronounced against them. They will be cast out from the favorable presence of God, into hell, to be justly and grievously punished, forever. (bolded text is for younger children)
READ:
[8] But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. [9] And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, [10] and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” [11] Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, [12] “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. [13] Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” [14] So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. [15] At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. [16] So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. - Daniel 2:8-16 (ESV)
Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?
- Suggested Question: Why was Daniel resolved against eating and drinking the king's food? What did it mean for him to ‘defile’ himself?
PRAY:
Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.
- Suggested Prayer: Help us to be like Daniel, who was resolved to trust and follow you.
SING:
Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.
DAY 3: Daniel 1:17
Weekly Catechism: (newcitycatechism.com)
- Q28: What happens after death to those not united to Christ by faith?
- A: At the day of judgment they will receive the fearful but just sentence of condemnation pronounced against them. They will be cast out from the favorable presence of God, into hell, to be justly and grievously punished, forever. (bolded text is for younger children)
READ:
[17] As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. - John 20:19-23 (ESV)
Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?
- Suggested Question: Where did their learning and their skills in literature come from?
PRAY:
Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.
- Suggested Prayer: God give us learning and skills that we can use as a family for your kingdom purposes.
SING:
Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.
Day 4: Daniel 1:18-21
Weekly Catechism: (newcitycatechism.com)
- Q28: What happens after death to those not united to Christ by faith?
- A: At the day of judgment they will receive the fearful but just sentence of condemnation pronounced against them. They will be cast out from the favorable presence of God, into hell, to be justly and grievously punished, forever. (bolded text is for younger children)
READ:
[18] At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. [19] And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. [20] And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. [21] And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus. - Daniel 1:18-21 (ESV)
Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?
- Suggested Question: Daniel and his group were ten times better than the others, but where did they get that learning and skill? Who does it always go back to?
PRAY:
Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.
- Suggested Prayer: Let us trust you, Father, when we are in unexpected circumstances. You have given us gifts, skills ,and specific things that make us uniquely beneficial to your kingdom. Develope those in us.
SING:
Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.
Josh Walker is the co-founder and owner of One Fifty Media House, a Houston, TX based Audio and Video Design Team. He is the writer and author of music products such as Family Devo, Grammar Time and Hymns For Selena. He is married to Angela and has two beautiful children: Nathan and Charity Joy.
