Today, we are hearing about the story of Daniel. Many of us think of the Lion?s Den, yet Daniel constantly faced the life that was before him. And in everything, absolutely everything, he did, he always made the same choice. What was that choice? To stand with God, God first-no matter what the cost. Let us pray.

Have you ever done anything that was against the grain? That wasn?t exactly what other people expected you to do? Yet, you knew it was what you were supposed to do? I had a girl in my youth group who was in the special education program. Her name is Heather. Now, I absolutely love Heather- she was always so sweet and loving; well except when it came to her sister. Her sister was able to have everything Heather couldn?t have. Yet, Heather had this amazing child-like faith. Heather was a hard worker as well. While we were in High School, I remember seeing Heather in the lunchroom. She would stop whatever she was doing and come out and give me a hug. She would always have a huge smile on her face when she would see me. I remember that Heather worked in the lunchroom to learn different skills that could help her in the future to obtain a job. One day, I came into lunchroom and sat with my friends. As we started eating our lunch, one of my friends at the table started to make fun of Heather?she started mocking her movement, making fun of how she spoke, and laughing at Heather?s friends and how they had to work in the lunchroom. I remember in that moment making the decision to stand up for Heather. I said to the girl at the table that Heather was a friend of mine, and that it wasn?t right to make fun of her. She somewhat scoffed at me and then started talking about someone else and making fun of them. And I remember being in disbelief at how she was acting. Then I stood up, told them
bye, and remember that being the last day I sat at the lunch table. From that moment on my friendships with those girls around that table changed. But I never doubted making that decision to stand up for Heather.

Remember, God had promised Judah that he would not abandon them forever, that they would one day return to Jerusalem ? and in our story, we are heading toward the time when they will return. God is getting them ready, and according to the Bible, he is also preparing a special place for you and me to live with him forever.

From slavery in Egypt, to wandering in the wilderness, to crossing over into their own land, to building a permanent temple to worship God, to having their great nation divided, and finally being a small remnant-Israel?s inglorious history appears to be over. Judah is in exile.

These are God?s chosen people being forced to leave the land he gave them. Could anything be more tragic? One of the challenges for Babylon was what to do with all these new inhabitants. What does any nation do when they capture thousands of people and bring them into their country to live as prisoners? Few people realize this, but during World War II, more than four hundred thousand prisoners of war were held in approximately five hundred camps throughout Germany. Though prisoners, they spent most of their days working in farmers? fields, helping with the harvest, stacking hay, and tending crops. They were even paid and received meals from the farmers, often developing strong friendships that continued after their release at the end of the war.

The Jewish exiles living in Babylon enjoyed the same kind of relationship with their captors. In fact, during this time Babylon experienced a period of great prosperity and growth, and many of the new buildings and great pieces of art honoring Nebuchadnezzar were created by the exiles. The king was smart enough to recognize the talent of these new deportees and even handpicked the best and brightest to serve him as special advisers. This is where we meet a
young man named Daniel and his three friends-Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Even if you haven?t spent a lot of time in church or reading the Bible, I?m quite sure you?ve heard of these guys and know at least a little about their Lower Story experiences. You probably have heard the story of Daniel in the lions? den and vaguely remember Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?s trip to the fiery furnace. So I?m going to focus more on how they got into their predicaments and, more important, what all of this has to do with God?s Upper Story. Because from a Lower Story perspective, Judah is toast. God?s grand plan has hit a major barrier. It is awfully hard to build a perfect community when the people you plan to do it with are being held captive by a pagan king in a foreign country.

These four young men (most likely teenagers) are part of a larger group of exiles fortunate enough to be chosen by the king and groomed for future service in the royal palace. The training they are given is essentially the equivalent of a master?s degree in Babylonian culture and language. For three years they read the great literature of Babylon, studied its art, learned its customs, and discussed all these things with each other in their new language. It is safe to say that by the time they finished their three years of training, they are more Babylonian than the native population.

From the beginning of his training, Daniel is someone with a strong sense of right and wrong-what teachers call ?a moral compass? for the classroom. Even though Dan has been selected for this exclusive training program, he isn?t about to shift his allegiance entirely to the king. His first act of defiance comes at dinnertime. The king has provided the best wine and meat from his own pantry, but Daniel refused to eat any of it and instead asks for only vegetables and water. He doesn?t want to defile himself by eating from the king?s table.

His resolve does not sit well with the official who brought him his food, and who could blame the guy for trying to get Daniel to change his mind? First, no one refuse anything from the king, let
alone a prisoner given such a plush assignment. But what upsets the official most is the fact that Daniel is entrusted to his care, and if he eats only vegetables and water, he will shrivel and shrink from undernourishment-and the king will blame him. He begs Daniel to eat the royal food and drink the royal wine, but Daniel offers a comprise: ?Allow us to try it for ten days and then compare us to the rest of the trainees who have been eating from the king?s pantry.?

About this time I can almost see Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego looking at each other, shoulders shrugged and palms up: ?Did he just say us? No way, I was really looking forward to prime rib and a good Merlot.?

Begrudgingly or not, the three join Daniel in his little food experiment, eating nothing but vegetables and drinking nothing but water. When the official checks in on them ten days later, he is amazed to see that they look healthier and stronger than those who ate the king?s rich food.

Is God a vegetarian?
Well people have used the Daniel Fast to lose weight and gain health. Actually the Bible does contain good advice about diets and foods to eat and avoid that could benefit our unhealthy nation. However, the Upper Story point of this episode is that God takes care of those who honor him. Refusing to eat from the king?s pantry because someone doesn?t want to defile himself is a good way to get killed. Or at least kicked out of the elite training program. But Daniel refuses to back down, regardless of the cost. I believe God wants us to have that some courageous devotion to him. To be willing to take a stand, even if it comes with a high price tag.

In the Lower Story, Judah is in exile. God?s special people are doing their best to make it as strangers in a strange land. Because of their skills and work ethic-and because Babylon is enjoying a period of prosperity-they have decent jobs and are able to care for their families. They get up. Go to work. Pick up their kids at school. Eat dinner together. Go to bed. And start all over the next day.

Where
once they were God?s chosen people, now they are surrounded by pagans. They long for something better.

Sound familiar? I don?t really believe in the ?good old days,? but do you ever find yourself longing for the days when our culture seemed less antagonistic toward people of faith? And do you ever wish God would come down and do something really big to prove he is God and therefore give you a little street cred?

The Upper Story of Daniel and his three friends gives us a clue as to how this can happen. When they put God above everything else-when they obeyed the first commandment-God went to work for them. I believe with all my heart that if we have this same level of commitment, we will see great things happen. Whenever people put God first, they never regret it. God always comes through.

(Maybe not in the way we expect him to or wish he would. But he always honors us when we put him above everything else.)
Since I have moved home, I still see Heather from time to time. She is still just as excited to see me today as she was when we were in High School. Heather has always reminded me of the importance of doing what is right and following the teachings of God. It is easy to join the crowd, it is much harder to stand up for what and who you believe.

As I think about the story of Daniel, I think about how we all have a choice. Every moment of every day we can choose who we will follow and how we live that out. In every action, every step, every word, every moment?we show ourselves and one another what and who we follow. There are many times we chose to follow the teachings of the world and do what is expected of us in our culture. As you go through this week, think about who and what Daniel put first. Daniel had a strong moral compass, knowing what was right and wrong. And in everything Daniel did, he put God first. At the end of each day this week, try and exercise. Think back through the day and write about the moments and decisions where you put God first. It is my prayer that as we go through each and every day, we put God
first. If we do, we too could walk out of fiery situations, escape from those who would destroy us, and be healthier than those around us. Amen.