ALWAYS FAITHFUL

Maintaining faithfulness in times of prosperity and while away from home can be a challenge. Daniel and his three young friends kept their faith in God in a foreign land, Babylon. They were captives where there were 53 temples and 80 altars and all kinds of ‘dainties’ being offered to idols. But Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego remembered the training as youths in Israel and resolved not to defile themselves (Daniel 1-4). They would not would bow, bend, budge or burn! Seeing their great faith and integrity, king Nebuchadnezzar elevated them to positions of authority.
Later king Belshazzer saw handwriting on a wall during a feast, but no one could interpret it among all his wise men and astrologers. Daniel was called. Though loyal to the king, he gave a daring interpretation that predicted doom for Belshazzar (Daniel 5:5-30). He valued truth above place or position.
Daniel, perhaps now 95 years of age, still a man of fervent prayer, was president over many princes, now under a third king, Darius. Other officials were jealous of the position of this foreign old man, but could find no fault in him whereby they could trap him. They contrived an evil scheme and had him cast into a den of lions (Daniel 6), but God delivered him alive.
They would not change, repent or depart from their training as boys (see Ecclesiastes 12).

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