When it
was learned that the biggest football game of the 2011 season was scheduled to
be played on Yom Kippur, the student government at the University of Texas
petitioned school officials to change the date. They said it was unfair to make
Jewish students choose between the classic football rivalry with Oklahoma and
observing their most important and sacred holy day of the year. But the date
was not changed. Even in societies where people have religious freedom,
difficult choices are still required of every person of faith.
Daniel
demonstrated the courage to obey God no matter what the consequences. When his
political rivals set a trap to eliminate him from their path to power (Dan. 6:1-9), he
didn’t challenge the law or complain that he had been wronged. “When Daniel
knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his
windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day,
and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days”
(v.10).
Daniel
didn’t know if God would save him from the lions’ den, but it didn’t matter. He
chose to honor God in his life whatever the outcome. Like Daniel, we are free
to choose to follow the Lord.
You can
never go wrong when you follow God. (RBC)
