Obedience brings distinction!

God always looking for opportunities to bless us in unique ways through our obedience to Him. It is in those moments that we must apply more wisdom, so that the glory of God that is supposed to be manifest through the blessing is not lost. I have been thinking about the fact that God expects us to follow His leading in everything we do and every decision that we make. We should not just seek God’s counsel in big decisions but also in the minor decisions that may seem insignificant.

This morning while reading Daniel Chapter 1, I was really struck by the way Daniel handled the instructions of the Lord while preparing towards becoming a court official.  King Nebuchadnezzar gave specific instructions on the kinds of people he wanted picked for the position and how they should be trained:

"The king said, “They must be healthy, handsome, smart, wise, educated, and fit to serve in the royal palace. Teach them how to speak and write our language  and give them the same food and wine that I am served. Train them for three years, and then they can become court officials.”- Daniel 1:4-5

Immediately these young men were picked to be trained, Daniel made up his mind to eat only what the Lord had approved during the time of training: 

“Four of the young Jews chosen were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, all from the tribe of Judah. 7 But the king’s chief official gave them Babylonian names: Daniel became Belteshazzar, Hananiah became Shadrach, Mishael became Meshach, and Azariah became Abednego. Daniel made up his mind to eat and drink only what God had approved for his people to eat. And he asked the king’s chief official for permission not to eat the food and wine served in the royal palace.”

Daniel: 1:6-8

This stood out for me, how many of us are prepared to adhere to God’s instructions when unique opportunities are handed to us? It seems more comfortable to do what everyone is doing because that is what we feel would take us to an expected end. This is not always the case, there is a reason why Jesus told the disciples to seek ye first the kingdom of God and all things shall be added. He wasn’t just talking about them making the solid decision of working in the vineyard of the Lord. He also wanted them to understand that the greatest gain that one could ever have is looking to God first in everything and through that your desires would be handed to you according to God’s Will. Sometimes we want to use our human knowledge to do things rather than leaning on the counsel of the Holy Spirit. Let us not spend time doing things on our own and remembering God when things go haywire. 

 Being in the palace, there were strict rules to be followed which no one would dare to speak against. I believe that because Daniel made the solid decision to follow God’s instruction, that is why He found favour with the guard who agreed to let them eat vegetables and drink water for 10 days. 

After the 10 days, Daniel and his three friends seemed healthier and stronger than the other young men. In addition to this, the bible says in Daniel 1:17, God made Daniel and his friends smart and wise, they read a lot of books and became knowledgeable in various subjects. Furthermore, Daniel was able to interpret dreams. God made them follow through with the process just as everyone did, but He gave them a different strategy that provided better results. Are you discussing your plans with God? Are you asking Him for effective strategies? If you find yourself saying no to these questions, then I suggest you pause and seek forgiveness from God, then ask the Lord for direction. 

I also believe that it is not just what they ate that made a difference but it was also the fact that they choose to follow God’s instruction. God honored their obedience by giving them more than they had imagined or desired. Due to this fact, they were found to be more outstanding than the rest by the King and were given positions in the royal court. Their obedience to God gave them such an overwhelming distinction! It is always important to seek His counsel as the Lord said in Jeremiah 29:11-“ For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope’

God always want His children to stand out more, which is why Jesus said that we are meant to be the salt and light in the world. We must live out our lives in such a way that the power and purity of God’s word is preserved and seen through our actions and words. Being the light of the world, saints are not supposed to be afraid to show the world who we are and whom we belong to. Every day the world gets darker and everyone seems to be stuck on a particular path that does not always lead us to God’s expected end. God is showing us through the life of Daniel, the importance of coming to Him about everything and having the heart to follow the instructions of the Lord speedily and without fail!

“The Lord God gives me the right words to encourage the weary. Each morning he awakens me eager to learn his teaching; he made me willing to listen and not rebel or run away.”- Isaiah 50:4-5

God is looking for people who are willing to go hard for His Kingdom, never looking back for anything or anyone. People whose hearts, spirit and mind are always available to receive and obey His instructions. Daniel saw that the Lord had given him a valuable position and he could not mess it up, this is why he sought God’s counsel and followed it. Whatever that you find yourself doing, make sure that you are consistently talking to God about it.  No matter how insignificant that thing may seem to you, God is always ready to listen to you and give His thoughts. God’s voice is the most important and valuable asset that in your life, that should never be taken for granted!

I hope this short piece has blessed you immensely, please do share with friends and leave your comments! God bless you!