The Power of Resolve

The life of Daniel in the Old Testament is one of the most inspiring stories in the Bible. He lived in a time of national chaos. He was forced out of his country and conscripted into the service of a foreign king. He held values that were completely at odds with those of the nation in which he lived. He held to his principles upon threat of death. He rose above his peers by taking the road less traveled. He kept company with three other young, intelligent, fearless young men who formed a fraternity of values of sorts. Today we might call them a band of brothers.

While there are many moments in Daniel's life that inspire me, one in particular has a magnetic quality to it. No matter how many times I read the phrase or think about Daniel, this statement is the first thought that enters my minds, "But Daniel resolved not to defile himself, (Daniel 1:8). Resolved himself he did. Defile himself by eating food that was not consistent with his worship of YHWH, he would not. Rise above his peers, he and his three friends did in extraordinary fashion.

I have "resolved" to do a thousand things in my life that I have not done. What is different about Daniel and his resolve? The difference is the heart. Daniel didn't just make up his mind; he determined in his heart. The heart of man is where are values originate. The heart is "the wellspring" of life, according to Proverbs. Daniel shows the tremendous impact a person can have who sets not only their mind but their very being in the direction of God's purposes.