The New Year is Aglow with Opportunities
Daniel 1:1-7
Romans 5:1-8 (Message)
As we enter the 21st Century in America we are faced with many challenges and opportunities. As a Christian we are rowing upstream against a society that is basically anti-Christian. Many things about the future are both exciting and fearful. No matter what we face in the unpredictable 2000, as cultural, political and spiritual changes approach us at mach speed, few of us will experience the intense, painful opportunities that a man named Daniel faced. Though this story is 2,500 years old, the message is as contemporary as today’s headlines. In every crisis and trauma Daniel faced he found opportunity and God used him for good in the world.
During the month of January we are focusing on the life and times of Daniel. Daniel serves as an excellent model for us as we embark on the adventure of living in the new millennium.
What do we know about Daniel?
Daniel was born into a wealthy family. He was part of the elite of his day. Daniel was a "Renaissance man" of his day. He was valedictorian of his class. He worked hard and studied hard. Chapter one of Daniel says that Daniel had encylopedic knowledge of many things in the world: scientifically, socially, spiritually and politically.
Daniel was a well-rounded young man. He not only was smart he was healthy and physically fit. He not only was a teacher’s dream he was a coach’s dream.
Daniel had a high social standing. He was a relative of the king of Judah, raised with all the privileges and status of royalty: wealth, power and education. He probably hob-knobbed with kings and dignitaries throughout the Eastern Mediterranean world. He enjoyed a host of servants. With all his wealth and charm Daniel was every mother-in-law’s dream.
Yet with his privileges Daniel was not proud or arrogant. He was a young man of character. He was not lazy or self-indulgent. He was absolutely committed to God and refused to compromise himself in any area.
Daniel was a young man with a future. He would have been voted the most likely to succeed in his class.
But Daniel was caught in a world system and culture that forgot God. God repeatedly sent prophets to war the people of Israel but they continued to rebel and live in sin. In 605BC God allowed the superpower of that day, Nebuchadnezaar and his Babylonian armies to attack Jerusalem and take over the city.
Before returning to Babylon, Nebuchadnezar set up a puppet government in Jerusalem and as an insurance policy against further rebellion he took members of the royal family back to Babylon as captives. Daniel was one of the youngest hostages selected. Nebuchadnezzar’s plans called for Daniel and his friends to be rigorously trained and indoctrinated for three years. Then at the age of 17 they would enter the King’s service.
For a moment put yourself in Daniel’s sandals. This wasn’t the game plan he had planned for his life. In a short period of time his life was turned upside down. From a carefree teenagers to a servant of a foreign king. He was taken from family and would never see his homeland again. He would never worship in the temple in Jerusalem or see his family again. He lost his spiritual mentors and taken to a land where God was mocked. He was taken 800 miles to a new home on the Euphrates River.
Daniel faced adversity with a true Christian character. I’m sure he had some doubts and concerns. He may have asked, "Why did this happen to me?"
Did God bring judgment on Daniel because of some sin he or his parents committed? Probably not! Daniel and his family were godly people.
Daniel was caught in a culture that forgot God. When a nation forgets God, everyone suffers the righteous along with the unrighteous.
Even in adversity things can work for good to all that love the Lord. The Apostle Paul could say in Romans 8:28: "All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose."
Joseph could say to his brothers that sold him to an Egyptian official. "What you meant for evil God meant for good to save your lives and the lives of our people."
At the time Daniel probably didn’t see the hand at God at work as he traveled the 800 miles walking, riding a horse or in a wagon. But God’s ultimate plan was for Daniel to influence the highest leaders of power in the ancient world. That meant relocation. God was at work behind the scenes preparing a young man that was yielded to Him to play a key role in the preservation and restoration of His people.
As Daniel was surrounded by dust on the road to Babylon he couldn’t foresee that he would advance to the highest positions in the courts of Babylon and Persia. In the later years of his life Daniel would exercise more power than any other member of the Jewish race had ever known. He would also have the privilege of leading his nation in repentance back to God.
Daniel is a prime example of how to turn adversity into opportunities.
No one can predict how your life will fare in the new millennium. But from all forecasts it will probably be a wild ride. I remember taking a wild ride when I was thirteen years. I was helping my uncle on the farm and he wanted me to drive his pickup to the farmhouse. I had never driven before but he wanted me to learn. He didn’t give me any instructions. He told me to get in start the truck and put the clutch in, put it in gear and let out the clutch slowly. I started the truck and after grinding gears I forget to let out the clutch slowly and the truck took off like a racehorse and I had a wild ride right into a ditch. My uncle had to use his tractor to pull the truck out of the ditch.
Your ride into the coming years will be wild with rapid changes. We are now part of a world society. Through the Internet we have access to the world. Like it or now we are all destined to be part of a cyber-future.
A year or so ago Morley Safer interviews Stewart, a MIT student on Sixty Minutes. Stewart had a small black box strapped to his heard covering his left lens on his glasses. As Morley Safer was interviewing him, Stewart was taping and broadcasting the interview back to his own WebPages and storing it in his own data bank. The unit strapped to his head had a small computer screen that he constantly monitors with his left eye while viewing his immediate surrounding with his right eye. He also has a state-of-the art five key entry pad strapped to his left hand do he is able to access date every waking moment.
Morley Safer asked him, "Why do you want to be constantly on-line?" Steward responded, "Because I am immediately in contact with the entire world, and have unlimited access to information. Ask me any questions." Safer asked him what the lifetime statistics for Mickey Mantle were. Immediately Stewart keyed in his entry pad and reported he was receiving data on his screen. Then he shared in detail the lifetime statistics of Mickey Mantle. He had no idea who Mickey Mantel was but he knew the details of his life.
From the life of Daniel there are at least five lessons we can learn and apply to our lives as we enter the New Year.
1. Accept the inevitable interruptions of life.
Have you visited Disneyland in Southern California? Have you been to Disneyworld and Epcot Center in Orlando Florida? When in Disneyland or Disneyworld you have fun and forget about the world outside the park. Some people would like to spend their entire life living in Disneyland. The fact is that this life is no Disneyland. We live in a fallen world. This world is no longer Paradise.
For many life isn’t fair. Bad things happen to good people. The wrong people get robbed and sick.
There are many people who would be the first to say: "This is not the way my life is supposed to be!" "This is not the way I planned my life." They’re right! As long as we live in a world where Christ is not honored and respected we will have to learn to accept the inevitable interruptions of life. Many of those interruptions are painful. Many are joyful. William A. Ward says: "Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records." Helen Keller who was born blind once said, "Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows." With a vital faith in Christ we can look at all adversities as adventures.
Only when Jesus returns will there be lasting peace in the world. Revelations 21:3-5 is our hope for the future.
"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"
2. Don’t get hung up about the source of your situation. When adversity comes it is natural to ask "Why?" We are tempted to play the blame game. "If I had different parents." "If I had better health." If God hadn’t allowed this to happen to me, to my family. On and on -- Every time we are faced with adversity we have a choice to make. We can sin and yield to Satan or we can make the choice to live by faith. Adversity provides opportunity to sin or opportunity to live by faith.
In every challenge in life God offers hope. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 10:13:
No temptation (or test) has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted (or tested) beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted (tested), he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
3. Resist the Belief that you are entitled to "the Good life."
Macdonald’s would have you believe that "You deserve a break today." Advertisers would have you believe that you deserve more, a better model, a little happiness. It’s okay indulge in that Haagen Daz ice cream bar. If it will make you happy dump your mate of 15 - 20 years and find a newer model. If someone gets less than they feel they are entitled to they say: "Life isn’t fair why has God done this to me?"
Remember as Christians we are in no position to bargain with God. I like what A.W. Tozer says; "Whoever seeks God as a means toward desired ends will not find God. God will not be used."
4. Resist blaming others for the problems you face.
Daniel had every human right to blame Nebuchadnezzar and other leaders for his situation. He refused to blame them but rather chose to honor God and suffer the consequences. Even when put in jail unjustly, Daniel did not become bitter but waited for God’s timing. God blessed Daniel for his faithfulness in enduring unjust pain. Someone has said, "A Christian is like a tea bag; it’s not much good until it has gone through hot water."
For you to continually blame others for your situation becomes like a crutch to keep you from taking responsibility and your attitude and saps your strength to find meaning in life. Did Jesus blame other for the cross? No, he said, "Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." It was through the pain Jesus suffered on the cross that provided salvation and forgiveness for the sins of the world.
5. Remember God wants to use you in grander ways than you ever dreamed of being used.
The Apostle Paul continually looked at the big picture. He testifies kin 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweigh them all. Se we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Ephesians 3:20 we have the promise: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
As we travel through the New Year we can count on challenging interruptions and adversities. Through faith in Jesus turn every interruption and adversity into opportunities.
May Romans 5:3-5 ring true for all of us in the year 2000:
"We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary-we can’t round up enough containers to help everything God generously pours into our lives."
