“The king then ordered that they be served from the same menu as the royal table—the best food, the finest wine… But Daniel determined that he would not defile himself by eating the king’s food or drinking his wine, so he asked the head of the palace staff to exempt him from the royal diet. The head of the palace staff, by God’s grace, liked Daniel” (Daniel 1:5,8-10)

How invaluable is the grace of God in our daily lives! The NIV says: “Now God had caused the official to show favour and compassion to Daniel.” Daniel, a trainee, had prepared his ways in the king’s palace to please the Lord, and the Lord made him favourable to strangers. Proverbs 16:7 says: “When God approves of your life, even your enemies will end up shaking your hand.” Hallelujah. Daniel was firm and he was clear about what was right to do in God’s sight.

Proverbs 16:20 also says: “It pays to take life seriously; things work out when you trust in God.” Yet in all these, Daniel wasn’t obstinate or arrogant. He didn’t disregard the king’s orders, but he negotiated correctly. He knew the time the king would desire to see them, and in faith, he requested: “Try us out for ten days on a simple diet of vegetables and water. Then compare us with the young men who eat from the royal menu. Make your decision on the basis of what you see” (Daniel 1:12-13). The Lord honoured and blessed Daniel’s faithfulness for “at the end of the ten days they looked better and more robust than all the others who had been eating from the royal menu” (Daniel 1:14). Father, help us to stand firm, speak wisely and trust in Your faithfulness. Amen.

BeEncouraged❤️ Freely received. Freely share