Day 2 of 21: A Purposed-Filled Heart

 A Purposed-Filled Heart

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it...³ Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles, ⁴ young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. ⁵ And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. ⁶ Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. ⁷ To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.⁸ But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself...¹⁷ As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

(Daniel 1:1-8, 17)

A young boy, torn from his home, exiled to a foreign land. Purposely sought out by an enemy whose chief desire it was to besiege his homeland and defile his God. A young man, nonetheless, and yet one who had already committed his life to God. One, whom in the eyes of even his enemies, was heralded as a man without blemish, who possessed all wisdom and knowledge.

Daniel's complete devotion and faith in God is evident within the first 20 verses of chapter 1 of the book of Daniel. Daniel had a marked purpose in life and that was to serve and glorify his God. Even as a young man, who had just faced a tremendous amount of turmoil, separated from his family and his home by thousands of miles, still had his devotion to God in the forefront of his mind. Daniel had purposed in his heart not to defile himself with the food of a pagan people. Translated from the Hebrew, Daniel's purposed-filled heart was one of decided resolution. A resolution to abstain from defilement, food and drink that was unclean and forbidden by the Mosaic Law. Daniel was a man of great character, one who sought hard after the heart of God.

A man's character will be shown in the midst of darkness and turmoil. The worth of a man's character is evident in his reaction to life when it is anything but pleasant. The strength of a man's faith is revealed in his devotion to God in the midst of  great sorrow and anguish. A sorrow and anguish that causes even the strongest of men to gasp for breath as the pain and burden of this turmoil is seemingly too heavy to bear. A man who buckles at his knees in the heaviness of a moment and yet still remains steadfast in his faith in God. This is a man of true character. A man who can bless the Lord in a land that is plentiful and yet still praise Him amidst a barren dessert with no hope in sight. The character of such a man is built in such places, but always found to be of great worth because he learns to be strengthened rather than broken by turmoil. Because he makes a very marked choice, purposing in his heart to serve and glorify God, even in the darkest of hours. Such character can only be harvested in darkness, in turmoil, in anguish, in sorrow, in that moment in life when you feel as if you have been boxed in on all sides. These are the times that God is able to part the Red Sea for us. To manifest Himself in ways that we would never fathom. To prove Himself true. The famous verse in Psalm 46:10, Be still and know that I am God , is actually translated in the Hebrew to say, Be still to know that I am God. In the midst of Babylon, we learn to be still and wait for God. Not necessarily by choice, but because we find ourselves boxed in on every side. In the midst of a dark valley. With the Egyptian army behind us, rocky mountains to the north of us and the Red Sea to the east and south of us. When we find ourselves with no options is when God is most able to show His very character, His strength, His compassion, His love, and the endless possibilities that are found in Him and only Him.

I write this with a heavy heart. Thinking of the countless number of Believers that essentially find themselves with no room to breath. That strange place in life where God seems to be afar off and silent. A serene lot in life when this tent we live in begins to crumble from disease and despair. The sorrowful moment when you realize that what once was no longer is and the very pain of that truth steals the breath from you lungs. The place where your sorrow is so deep that it hurts to breath, to utter God's name, to plead for His mercies. In the midst of a season where you can neither hear God nor see God, when you feel completely alone and abandoned.

I feel the pain for you today. I sense your sorrow and your desperate plea to feel the presence of God for but a moment. I feel, but more so, He feels. I want you to know Believer, that you are in the midst of being purified by God. Of being refined by fire. And strangely enough Believer, when you find yourself at the end of this valley, no matter how far off the light of day may seem, you will almost want to return to this place again....because this is the place where God is going to meet you face to face, and you will never be the same again.

.:La Chula:.