Have you ever felt like you don’t belong? It may be that your values and beliefs are not appreciated. In fact, they may be actively opposed. Sister, you are not alone. This world is not our forever home. It is only a shadow of what is to come. Yet we are called to live here. Our lives are meant to be different as we faithfully surrender our days to God.
Within the book of Daniel, God’s people were living through turmoil. They thought how they lived didn’t matter. After many warnings, God allowed His people to be defeated. The Babylonians took over, and they carried to Babylon the young, the noble, and those they deemed useful. Their aim was to train them in the ways of Babylon.
We’ll learn how these young men reacted to living in a place so different to what they had known. Though the people were likely tempted to isolate once in Babylon or begin to blend in with the surrounding culture, God called His people to faithfully live where He has placed them. They were to seek to bless the city and people around them by pointing others to God. God wanted to transform His people’s hearts.
In the same way, God wants us to walk this path, too. While we eagerly await the return of Jesus, we are to seek to bless the people around us by pointing them to Jesus. We are to surrender our days to Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to be at work developing our character, the attitude of our hearts, and how we choose to live through the different seasons of life.
Despite numerous difficult days, Daniel remained faithful in both small and larger challenges. His life was distinctive as he faithfully told the whole nation about God’s power. At the end of the book, God gave Daniel visions, but He encouraged him that good will triumph at the end of time. God had a plan to redeem His people.
Have you ever considered that God has placed you where you are, among the people you meet for a distinct purpose? God made you unique. He loves and values you. You can live a distinctively different life that confidently points people to the One who saves. May this study help you to grow in your knowledge and love of our faithful, steadfast God as He transforms your heart to being more like Christ and to live faithfully in a faithless world.
One Response
Angela I need to thankyou for listening to our LORD as you make this study available to us. So very much needed by me for such a time as this . During the early partof this year , I started acquiring a desire to go deeper into my walk wih the LORD – to the point of being recluse . I get telling myself I needed to get things in order. One day God came to me and told me do not wait – I will guide you – and provide you- serve you at the table with just what you need. I took tose first steps. I shared with my husband and he said go for it – just do not get overwhelmed. Well God knew what was ahead of me . On Wednesday morning , July 17th my dear Joe received a special invite from our LORD saying to him it was time for him to come home to Heaven . With that my journey has become real. Grief is not easy ,but I am learning day by day to walk with the LORD . I’m experieincing His provision as He serves me each day . This new study thatI just read th eintro too has been put inplace for me for such a time as I am going through . The last paragraph I rewrote in my journal as my prayer to the LORD to keep guiding me one day at a time . I’m in awe of the people He has placed in my life for such a time as this . Iam so ready to experieince the redemption an trasformation He has put in place for me . Thankyou Angela for being God’s vessel as I go forward . Hugs Mia