Daniel

I have heard many sermons preached on the life and character of Daniel. But when a friend of mine pointed out a certain incident in his life, it was truly an eye-opener. Daniel was just 16 years old when he was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon. The chief of the eunuchs in Nebuchadnezzar's court (Dan 1:7) even gave them new names! Daniel's Jewish name meant ‘God is my Judge'. The name given to Daniel by the Babylonians was, Belteshazzar which meant, 'Lady Protect the King' referring to the goddess Sarpanitu, wife of Marduk. The Babylonians gave similar names after their gods to Daniel's friends also.

Rabbi Benjamin Blech in his article on the ‘Judaism and the Power of Names' says that in the Hebrew culture names were considered very important. To a Jew, his name signified his destiny, his blessing, and his very purpose in life. Even though the names by which the Jewish captives were to be known in Babylon were changed, it is amazing to see Daniel and his friends not resisting the action at all! They did not complain or even pray about it. But when it came to eating food or praying to the God of Israel three times a day, they took a stand. Daniel knew what was important in life and was able to take a stand where his faith and values were tested.

Sometimes we major on minors and absolutely fail in the majors. Somebody once told me that going to a police station was wrong. I believe nothing is wrong with going to the police station. The reason behind our visit should be the one that decides whether it is right or wrong. If we have committed a crime and are taken to a police station then it is wrong. Long ago I lost my driving license and had to go to the police station to file an FIR. Only with a no objection certificate (NOC) from the police I could apply for a duplicate license! Sometimes we get so caught up in unimportant issues and fail miserably in important decisions.

My friend, how other people may call us or what they think about us should never affect how we live our life. But if we lose sight of the true values of our Christian calling, then we will be lost in sin completely. Let us ask the Lord today to give us the ability to discern what is important for our Christian testimony and the courage to take a stand for Christ.

Categories: Weekly DevotionalsAuthor: Hephzibah StephenDate: 28th August 2018 Share: newsletterDisplay date: 29th August 2018

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