Purpose
Purpose
"But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. But he responded, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.”
"Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 'Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,' Daniel said. 'At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see'.”
I once watched an old movie with a plot based around the basic training of a Navel officer. As the main character was inducted into the service, he came under the command of a drill sergeant. The purpose of the drill sergeant is to weed out the men and women that won't make it in the program.
In his intro speech to his new platoon, the sergeant even stated at one point that he would do whatever it took to make them quit. He said he would use fair and unfair tactics to achieve his goal. Behind all of the verbal assaults, harsh discipline, extreme physical exercise, and agility tests, there was always a purpose: Separate those who would make it from those who would not!
God has purpose when He allows adverse things to come into our lives. Daniel is a great example of a life that seemed to start off very hard and unfair, yet God was using those trials to accomplish His will. Daniel 1:8 states, "But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the kings choice food. . ." God blessed him for his commitment.
When a follower of God aligns his or her life purposes with God's, compromise with the world ends. What is your purpose in life? Is it to do God's will no matter what? Make it so and you will see the Lord work in mighty ways.
~ The Circuit 'Riter, Michael Ullrich ~
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