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Daniel 1: 6-9  Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.  The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.… … But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.  Now God had caused the official to show favour and compassion to Daniel,…

The account of how God so clearly displayed his power and glory to Nebuchadnezzar and his people through Daniel and his three friends should inspire us all to trust him more fully and serve him more faithfully.

It is important, however, for us to get the perspective right and not forget where the real power lies as we glory in the outworking of his, often quite perplexing, Providence.  It is easy to fall into the trap of putting the emphasis on the outward observance of rites and practices, attributing to them some kind of suprernatural ‘power’, instead of giving careful attention to the condition and attitude of our hearts and hands as just ‘instruments’ in the hands of a sovereign, all-powerful, all-knowing God.  This was a big mistake the Pharisees of Jesus’ day made, and often well-meaning followers of Jesus have done the same.

We won’t became wiser, or more gifted and useful in God’s service by eating vegetables or abstaining from alcohol.  (There may be other good reasons for adopting such a diet, but that, in itself, won’t make us more like Daniel!)  Daniel’s secret throughout his whole time in Babylon was to honour God in everything he did.  If that meant not partaking of the king’s fare and making it clear why he wasn’t doing so, then that is what he did.  If it meant praying openly to his God when the king had ordered everyone not to, then that is what he did (Dan. 6).  The thing that was constantly in Daniel’s mind was that God is sovereign over every part of his life and world.  It was not his vegetarian diet or his praying with his window open that made a difference to the outcomes; it was the work of God in the hearts of people.  “Now God had caused the official to show favour and sympathy to Daniel.”  That is what made the difference.

It is all a matter of perspective.  Until fairly recently, I would have answered the question, “Do you believe in the power of prayer?”, with a resounding, “Yes!”.  That is, until I read of a man who answered that question more accurately by saying, “No, I don’t.  I believe in the power of God, and therefore I pray.”  Have we got this perspective right, or are we too often trusting in our own performance as pray-ers to achieve God’s purposes?

– Bruce Christian