Made Up Mind
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. (Daniel 1:8) Daniel was in no position to bargain. He was a captive of Israel’s dreaded conquerors, the Babylonians. They were a cruel, severe people and God’s hammer of judgment sent to bring the nation of Israel to repentance. Yet, this teenage boy saw a much bigger picture. Though his circumstances were dire, Daniel believed firmly in the power of the God of Israel. He understood that the Lord was still his God, still faithful, still merciful, still present, and still willing to answer his prayers — even in Babylon. Daniel’s world was filled with limits, because he was a slave. He had no rights, no clout, no earthly possessions, no money, no power, and seemingly, no hope. He lived in a world of can’t . So Daniel did the one thing he could d...