But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Daniel 1:8
How old was Daniel when he purposed in his heart? And how long did he hold onto this purpose? If we study Daniel’s life, we will find that this was an incredible man who was useful to God throughout his life, and who was useful to those around him, including great world leaders. He had a great reputation with everybody except for some of the jealous folks around him. And it all started when he purposed in his heart to be faithful to his God. Daniel simply closed the door permanently to disobedience to God’s Word, and God honoured his purpose, and blessed him. Will God do the same for you and me?
Our Lord appreciates obedience. We know that. But sometimes, we simply try to obey whatever is before us at the moment, without basing our life on a commitment to obedience. We fail to purpose in our heart. We struggle with temptations and weaknesses, and we lurch from crisis to crisis, without a firm grasp on God’s promises and God’s guidance. How much better it would be to simply purpose in our heart, like Daniel did?
Daniel’s purpose of heart had to do with the defilement he knew would be involved in submitting to what the king wanted. Daniel knew what was right, and he knew there would be a cost to obedience to God’s Word. He also knew that the cost of disobedience would be greater. But Daniel knew that God honours those who honour Him, and he was willing to place the entire matter into God’s hands. Wise beyond his years, young Daniel made the right decision. His purpose of heart became the guiding principle of his life, and God honoured him throughout his many years of service. God will do the same for us, if we will stand for Him.
It is not difficult to see the defilement all around us in our day. Immorality is so accepted in our society that marriage has now become irrelevant and optional. Substance abuse is rampant and shrugged off as personal preference. Our world is awash in so much that is defiling and opposed to God that it is difficult to move without encountering temptations and abominations. It takes a purpose of heart not to defile ourselves and to stand for God in these days.
Daniel faced great risks by taking a stand, far greater than we will face today. If God could sustain and bless Daniel for honouring Him, He can surely sustain and bless us. – Jim MacIntosh