Like Daniel: Prioritise & Be Focused
One of the blessings of the pandemic we are going through is that it has taken away many distractions in life and given us the opportunity, to focus more fully on God. In doing so we can find peace and give our souls a chance to rest -- to rest in Him.
As we look at the Old Testament character of Daniel, we see that he was focused -- he prioritised prayer and worship in his life. He sought the presence of the Lord and His leading first and foremost in what he was to do and where to go, even though he was in captivity.
This is true of any endeavour in life. If we simply focus on life and its circumstances our lives will result in failure, confusion, and futility. A focus on Christ and His presence and love for us, no matter what the circumstances are in life, will result in fruitfulness. As with Joshua and the Levitical priests, the Ark of His Presence should always precede everything we do.
We shouldn’t forget that Daniel worshipped and served the Lord while he was a captive in Babylon. He remained faithful to the Lord, even at great cost. Those that watched his life knew that the Lord was His God—the One who unveiled revelation secrets and gave him wisdom.
Jesus will do the same for us and we will discover what others have not found if we will keep our focus in these difficult times, not on the world, not on our lives, but on the presence of God. It will mean prioritising worship and prayer and being in His presence regularly. It will also mean, like Daniel, watching and waiting for Him for cues on where and when to go forward. Like Daniel we need to remember that He is our strength and our light.
The gate to the path forward is narrow: …..the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those that find it.
(Matt 7:13-16).
Nonetheless, He is true to His Word when He says that if we follow Him and seek His presence, we will not stray off the path.
Like Daniel we are in a captivity of sorts, however we are not to fear the giants in the land. We are called to take territory for God’s kingdom. That territory is the Promised Land given by someone who does not fail to keep His Word. Trust in Him. If you do not personally know the Lord, give your life to Christ (Romans 10:9.10) and He will remove all fear and confusion in your life. You will experience a love that is endless, never condemning and a love that will defend you because you will have the truth in your life.
As with Daniel, as you seek the Lord and His wisdom, His mysterious ways will open before your eyes. He is the Father who will never fail you and like Daniel He will instruct you moment by moment in the way you should go. He will whisper words of life that will make you strong and pure.
God is more than ready to overwhelm you with every form of grace, so that you will have more than enough of everything -- every moment and in every way. He will make you overflow with abundance in every good thing you do.
(2 Corinthians 9:8) (Passion translation).
Ray Dallin