Daily Devotions – Young men of Israel serve a foreign King

Daily Devotions – Young men of Israel serve a foreign King

 

Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:

 

Daniel 1:3-7  (NIV)
3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that, they were to enter the king’s service.

6 Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

 

Choose one or two key verses from the Scripture reading in Daniel today and do at least one of the following for your chosen verse(s).
A –  Ask questions of the text (Who, what, why, where, when)
– Emphasize certain words as you read the text over & over
I  –  In your own words (paraphrase one or more verses)
O  – Other verses in the Bible that say the same or opposite
U  – Use it; apply the truth from the text in your life

 

Lord, life is filled with change. Some changes I choose and some I do not. Some are good and some are not so much. But one thing I do know is that You do not change. No matter what I am presented with during this life, You are with me and freely provide Your loving guidance. Help me put my trust in You as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah did after they were captured and their lives made an abrupt change to serve the King.  I look at all the potential challenges, opportunities, possibilities and changes that lie in the year ahead, knowing that the safest place is in You. I trust You Lord and Thank You. Amen