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Reading
Daniel 1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god.
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.
8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”
11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.
15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.
18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.
21 And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
Reflection Question
Babylon’s diet feeds our souls on beauty smarts and power. Where might God be asking me to take a stand against that diet?
Hidden in your life
Lord I am sitting here with you
Knowing that there’s nothing else I need to do
Just sitting here and hoping that you’ll teach me the things you want to
Lord there’s less and less of me
me’s a thing that I just can not plan to see
Till I see you, yes I’ll see you, really see you, in your glory
Chorus
I’ve now died
And who I am is now hidden in your life
So I’m alive
More and more everyday
I’ve now died
So set my mind up up above and on your life
Oh I’m alive
More and more Everyday
Lord I am sitting here with you
If your loves the only thing i take away then that’ll do,
I don’t need to go hear something from somebody, when I’m hearing from you,
Lord I am coming home to you,
My ego’s getting quieter, the more of this I do,
Cause Your loves enough to make me really love me, just like you do,
The earth is groaning
To see God’s kids come dancing out, I know that’s you and me
Inside the spirit’s sighing
with words so deep they capture us from deaths captivity
Who you say I am
Who am I that the highest King would welcome me?
I was lost, but He brought me in
Oh, His love for me
Oh, His love for me
Chorus
Who the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed
I'm a child of God, yes I am
In my Father's house
There's a place for me
I'm a child of God, yes I am
Free at last, He has ransomed me
His grace runs deep
While I was a slave to sin, Jesus died for me
Yes, He died for me
I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am
