IN A BROKEN WORLD, you can never know how strong you are, until you're all you’ve got.
Nebuchadnezzar had besieged Jerusalem, and there were many uncertainties in the land. God delivered Jehoiakim, king of Judah into his hands.
Nebuchadnezzar took his captives to Babylon—young men from the royal family who were wealthy and handsome, intelligent and well educated chosen for leadership roles in government.
They were to learn the Babylonian language and be indoctrinated with magic and fortune-telling.
They were also to feed on the king’s menu—the best food, and the finest wine. And after three years, they’ll receive positions in the king’s court.
Four young men chosen from Judah—Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were among the selected. Their world was broken, but there was a fix.
Life had touched them, and they knew there was more to it. The four understood that they could rise from the ashes of defeat.
It’s time to Rise
DANIEL COULD HAVE WOOFED down the food sacrificed to idols, but he chose not to defile himself. And God gave him favour with the head of the eunuchs.
To talk himself out of trouble, he asked for time.
He said, “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 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.” (Daniel 1:12-13)
After ten days, Daniel and his friends looked better than those fed from the king’s table.
There were many attitudes around them, but they chose obedience to God. Although their sense of oneness had a place, their identity in God was vital.
They found their proper bearing and followed the ideals of the kingdom.
To rise to the occasion, you must know your identity, and the place you belong; then, you can rule.
It’s Time to Rule
CONSIDERING BEING CHOSEN to serve the king, you would think it will be easy going forward, but it wasn’t. They encountered situations that made them ask God for assistance.
In Nebuchadnezzar’s second year on the throne, he had a dream. When he called the astrologers, he told them he was worried but did not tell them the dream.
Nebuchadnezzar requested that they tell him the dream and the interpretation.
And when they told him that no human can do that, he passed a decree that all the wise men be executed.
When the commander had gone to execute the decree, he explained the situation to Daniel.
He went to see the king and ask for time and returned home to explain the situation to his friends.
Significant milestones are only possible when small wins matter
Daniel asked them to pray for mercy that they’ll not be executed. In the valley, they lifted their eyes to the One who saw them there.
When he asked God for help, he was saying, “God make me.”
You cannot trust God without praying to Him, neither can you faint when you believe in Him.
When you’re faced with daunting situations, your faith in God will keep your hope alive.
During that night, God revealed the mystery to him, and he praised God.
Significant milestones are only possible when small wins matter. For a man to bring home the great wins, he will be willing to carry the small victories in all his travels—this is called gratitude.
“I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.” (Daniel 2:23)
When Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar the dream and the interpretation, the king prostrated before him.
He said, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.” (Daniel 2:47)
The king promoted Daniel and made him ruler over the province of Babylon.
For many of them, there was a turn back in their righteous clock but not for Daniel and his friends. To fix the broken world, he became the light to the king’s darkness.
Likewise, we are the light of the world, a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. (Matthew 5:14)
BRINGING IT TOGETHER
DANIEL HAD DISCARDED the things that will make him think in a disparaged manner.
He was intentional in his approach—he understood that their world was broken, but it could be fixed.
To fix a broken world, you must be thoughtful and deliberate, not impulsive and reactionary.