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Reflections on Daniel


It is a beautiful thing to be counted among the people of the Most High God. The enemies of the Lord may rise and make war with His people and His Saints. But we have the promise that the Lord will prevail.

Times change, kingdoms and rulers rise, they rule and they fall. In the story of Daniel, we see how, starting with his “career” as an advisor to King Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel serves many kings and their different kingdoms. He went through his life time witnessing many “new” trends and many laws being set, supposedly edicts that could never be changed, but were (unlike God's laws). Interestingly, we can see how powerful men, who served many gods, arose and withered, but David, an exile of Judah who served the Most High God, prevailed.

Daniel served many kings but was the most loyal to the King of Kings. He never lived a life of double-standards. He abstained from the new trends, staying true to his convictions and to his God. His life never depended on the opinions of others; instead, he depended on God alone and trusted solely in God’s ways, even if his loyalty meant severe social isolation, ridicule, and even death.

How many of us as believers are willing to actually set ourselves apart for God? To do so, not because we think we are better than anyone (because we are not), but because we desire to have the kind of faith and virtues that Daniel had as a result of his service to God.

Daniel prevailed while many Kings rose and fell away. In a way, his life shows us how worldly power and fame can only last for some time, but real power and purpose comes through faith and service to God and that is the only power that will prevail. Something else to take note of: David didn't chase power and fame. He didn't chase after trends like the other "wise" men. He chased after God and his life, with all its trails and dangers, was a truly beautiful life, full of purpose and full of God's power in him.

Brothers and sisters, when will we stop being afraid of the opinions of men and start only serving God in all we do? When will we stop chasing the trends thinking that they will be the solution to our problems or the key to power and fame? May we learn from the life of Daniel, a true Saint and example for us all!

God In His Mercy.

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