The Cornerstone Of Daniel - 3 of 12



July 21, 2019

Audio Version


Often we focus on Daniel in the Lion’s Den as a magnificent display of faith. I want to submit that it was in fact a tremendous confirmation of faith, and that it was in Daniel 1:8 where we see Daniel’s resolute display of faith in God because of Daniel’s love for God, as seen by his obedience to God.

Because Daniel committed himself to not defile his day-to-day life before God he was able to approach the greatest challenge of his life with confidence, with faith and, most importantly, with God.

So clear is the relationship between faith, love and obedience as it makes up a pragmatic cornerstone of Daniel’s relationship with God - pragmatic in that these three character traits, in symphony, formed the shield that kept the influences and temptations of the world around Daniel at bay in his heart and in his life.

So it is with us. Our faith is constructed of our love for and obedience to God and His precepts, bound in liberty and not under law. It is recognizing that there’s a biblical difference between asking God to meet us where we are, versus asking Him to meet us on our terms. Faith embraces the fact that God lovingly embraces us where we are but a maturing faith is being grateful for the fact that He met us not on our terms but on His own.

It is safe to say that a majority of people desire an ever deepening faith with God when the odds are long. But, here’s something every non-believer and every Christian must come to know: if people cannot display faith in the small moments and in practical ways, they will never be able to display faith in crucial moments when everything is hanging in the balance. Great victories in spiritual warfare are won in the small and seemingly insignificant moments of spiritual discipline, and nowhere else. Just as an intimate and life-giving relationship with God is found in small moments of prayer, reading and revelation. For no one merely shows up in the ring or arena of choice and is ordained with the victory.

So it would serve us well to take to heart and to study the life of Daniel as he approached his day-to-day life with faith, especially when things got tough. He sought first the kingdom of God, which is what we are supposed to do, this only in the name of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 6:33)