Body
Everyday we are presented with many opportunities to make choices. Choices that come to us in various ways and means. In fact, these choices come to us so rapidly that we are often unaware of them. For example, what are we going to feed our minds with today? What will our thoughts dwell on today? Or what will be our desires today? What type of conversations will we have today? Will they be conversations that enlighten, edify, or those that will degrade us and others? Will we stay on task or allow ourselves to be distracted? What are we going to eat? Where will we eat? That is also a big question for my wife and me. How will we spend our time? Will we decide to spend some of our time with God or not? These are just a few of the more simple choices we all make each day; and we probably don’t give them a lot of thought. One Bible character who had to make wise choices was Daniel. In the Book named after him, in the first seven verses, tells us the story of a man who was a victim of circumstances far beyond his control. Daniel lost his freedom, his home, his culture, his friends, and his status as one of Israel’s nobilities. Daniel had to learn a new language, to live in a place totally foreign to him, and to live in a culture that was opposite to anything that he had ever known. He even lost his name given to him at birth. His name was Daniel, meaning “the Lord will judge.” Now he would be known by his Babylonian name, Belteshazzar. Daniel had choices to make. He could have decided to spend his time feeling sorry for himself. He could have spent his time and energy focusing on things over which he had no control. He could have spent his time complaining on the bad leader that he had, Nebuchadnezzar; or on his unhappiness, on the terrible food that his captors expected him to eat. But Daniel determined that he ”would not defile himself.” Daniel resolved “in his heart” not to go against God. Daniel determined that he would spend his time thinking about that which he loved the most. Things that were most dear to him. Things that he deeply cherished and valued. Daniel’s action took tremendous courage. He would have to face many challenging decisions as he went through life. If Daniel had not acted early, if he had not decided where his allegiance belonged, he would never have the determination and strength to face the crisis in his life. Sometimes we shrink back from resolving in our hearts because we don’t know how things will work out. What we often forget is that God is always with us. We always have a choice about the contents and character of our inner lives. When we resolve to cherish and honor God, he becomes involved in our lives in ways we could not otherwise imagine. Why not make the right choice? Choice God.
