I joined the Daniel Fast with my church this week. By the third day, I realized the practice was almost mechanical for me. My preparations begin every January with meal planning and grocery shopping for the 21-day ritual. (Honestly, this is my favorite part. I love organizing and planning because it gives me a sense of control over some part of my life.) Then, I dust off my Daniel Fast book and journal. At some point I have a little conversation with God about what he wants me to focus on and how I want to grow during the next three weeks. Consecration was the priority several years ago. Today, I fear that concept has been lost in the annual repetition of it all.
I also released the third season of my podcast this week. Listeners will “Meet My God” in the book of Daniel. It just made sense to read about the guy responsible for taking my cookies away for a month. The premier week’s episodes take us through most of chapter one. While I am touched by Daniel’s faithfulness and excellence, there are a couple of issues worth noting beginning in verse two.
And the Lord handed Jehoiakim, King of Judah, over to him, along with some of the vessels of the house of God…
Daniel 1:2a NASB
The ‘him’ in this verse is Nebuchadnezzar, the notorious king of Babylon.
Really?! So God just gave the people he love to a foreign empire.
Feelings vs The Truth
I struggle with God’s sovereignty. It is the most contentious part of our relationship. The fact that he can do whatever he wants to do, for whatever reason he chooses, is sometimes unsettling. It makes me feel like my life is completely out of my control. His decisions could determine my fate and it feels like I am not a factor in his divine plan. Of course, this could not be farther from the truth. Our feelings tend to tell the best lies.
The truth is God’s people repeatedly rebelled against him before the Babylonian siege. He loved them so much but they constantly threw his love back in his face with disobedience. The truth is I am a huge factor in God’s plan. In fact, he has one specifically for me.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
His plan for my life is proof of his love for me. Daniel was faithful because he remembered God’s love. His love is worth my obedience and faithfulness. It’s worth putting more effort into the next few weeks of this fast. And though it may not feel good, his love is worth me trusting his sovereignty.
You can listen to my podcast here.