Purity When Uncomfortable
BRD REFLECTIONS:
Daniel 1 and Psalm 18:1-29 (NIV)
(David Blakely, SWR Committee Member)
READ:
Daniel 1:11-13 (NIV)
[11] Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, [12] “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. [13] Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.”
Psalm 18:20-21 (NIV)
[20] The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. [21] For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I am not guilty of turning from my God.
OBSERVE:
Daniel was in a new place far from home. He was needing to adapt, and he was aware that around him were others such as the guard over him that were also trying to cope and adapt with life. It was a place of uncertainty as he had lost his own home, security, culture and identity. In the midst of that, he still sought to honour God and keep himself pure before his loving and righteous God.
Daniel fulfilled the words of Psalm 18, by keeping himself pure before his Lord. Daniel was not perfect, for we know that all of us sin and fall short of the glory of God. Daniel responded to great uncertainty in life by daily remembering to be humble and keeping himself pure before his Lord.
APPLY:
When I find myself in a new or uncomfortable place, instead of humbling myself I am more likely to try to take control. I do this because I experience uncertainty, curiosity, anxiety, and self doubt in such moments. When I experience these emotions, I at times forget to turn to God, depending on myself instead.
DO:
I am convicted by this passage to take the steps that Daniel took. That is to pause and look to purify myself before God. This means daily asking God to show me what needs to be cleansed from my life, and then trusting Him to care for me through the process.
My hope is to take steps to purity that will encourage others, just as Daniel’s efforts encouraged the chief officials.
PRAY:
Thank You Lord that You are the God of healing, redemption, and purity. Help me today to surrender myself to Your control, and to just trust You with my life and circumstances. I acknowledge that very often, I want to be the king over my life. Forgive me for this Lord and help me today to again trust in You.
I seek Your wisdom, so that the words I speak to others will be an encouragement, leading to an ever-growing community of humble repentance.
In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
