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The Church of New St. Mary, Cortona, Tuscany, Italy. Photo by Charles F. Stanley.
Daily Devotion

God Honors Our Devotion to Him

Being faithful to the Lord may put us at odds with the world, but the reward of His delight is always worth it.

Daniel 1:3-21

Daniel and his friends faced a dilemma that echoes in our own life: What do we do when faithfulness to God puts us at odds with the world around us? Our challenge is to live under God’s authority while remaining in submission to the law of the land. But when the two collide, our first instinct should be to seek the Lord’s guidance before moving forward.

Daniel’s example shows us what that looks like in practice. Had he bluntly declared, “I won’t eat this food!” he wouldn’t have lasted long. But the Lord gave him the wisdom to humbly seek permission from the person in authority over him rather than stage a confrontation (Dan. 1:8-13). God honored Daniel’s commitment and provided a way for him to live righteously—not through defiance, but through discernment.

We remember Daniel and his three friends for the remarkable lives they lived. But it’s important to realize that the determining factor was never their own greatness. Rather, it was their devotion to a heavenly Father who does extraordinary things in lives that are fully surrendered to Him. Keep in mind their example of faithfulness, and watch what God does when you make yourself available to Him.

Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 37-39