“But Daniel was determined not to defile himself …” (Daniel 1:8a NLT)
Daniel had a problem. He was captive in a foreign land. He still wanted to worship God and live like God expected him to live. But in reality the King and his people had a lot of authority and wanted their own way. Daniel was expected to eat what they ate, learn what they learned, and even have a name they chose. All of this was so that Daniel and some others would be groomed for “service in the royal palace.” (Daniel 1: 4 NLT)
But Daniel already knew in his heart what is right. Daniel had “purposed” (KJV) “determined” (NLT) what he was going to do. He had already decided. The Hebrew word here is “suwm.” That may look like a strange word. It sounds like “zoom.” The definition is to “to put, place, set, appoint, make.” It means to be “focused” or “fixed” on something.
Daniel had unshakable faith. His belief in the Lord kept him going when everything around him seemed to be going wrong. Daniel was uprooted from his home, taken into captivity, and sent to a foreign country. It strengthened him as he served under the authority of four different kings and faced many challenges.
Knowing God and trusting Him are the two key elements of deep faith. Daniel, who was part of the Israelite nobility, apparently learned about the Lord from a young age. While he was in captivity, his words and actions demonstrated that he knew the Scriptures and wanted to obey God. When offered a meal that had been sacrificed to idols, he took a great risk by requesting other food. God caused Daniel’s enemies to show favor to him. Like Daniel, we are to stay focused on what God expects of us and spend our lives learning and carrying out what pleases our heavenly Father.
Not only did this young man know what the Scriptures said, but he also trusted God to do as He had promised. Every time Daniel took a stand for what God wanted, he was demonstrating his confidence in the Father. And his friends—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—had unwavering belief as well. They did not know for sure that the Lord would rescue them from the fiery furnace, but they trusted that He would do what was right.
There are things that block unshakable faith.
Pride – “I won't admit I need God's help.”
Arrogance – “I know a better way—I don't have to ask God.”
Self-sufficiency – “I can do it myself without God’s help.”
God is always with us. Jesus is alive. The Holy Spirit has made His home in our hearts. What is stopping us from becoming people of strong faith that God knows what He is doing? Confess it and turn toward the Lord.
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