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Unshaken by Kiersten Telzerow

Today is Celebration of Life Day.

Right celebration of life.

And so we're going to celebrate life and get into God's word. Where are we studying today?

Well, in the next couple of weeks, we're actually going to be studying about Daniel.

Daniel, yeah, he was kind of a little troublemaker, wasn't he? Most of those people in the Bible were, I think.

Right.

So let's get started on today's devotional called Identity. That's the title for today's devotional. The devotional itself is called Unshaken by Kiersten Telzerow, Identity - day one.

Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, because you have not obeyed my words, behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the Lord, and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all those surrounding nations. I will devote them to destruction and make them a horror, a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. Moreover, I will banish them from the voice of my earth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the grinding of the millstones and the light of the lamp. This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon 70 years. Jeremiah 25, 8 through 11.

So God is saying, you're not obeying me, this is what's going to happen. That is where the story of Daniel begins.

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiachim, King of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, came to Jerusalem and besieged it, and the Lord gave Jehoiachim, King of Judah into his hand and some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shannar, to the house of his God and placed the vessels in the treasury of his God. Then the king commanded Asphenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, use, without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding, learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Michel, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names, Daniel he called Belsazar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, and Michel he called Mishach, and Azariah he called Abednago. That's the beginning, Daniel 1, 1 through 7.

We start this chapter right out of the gate, between a rock and a hard place. Daniel's time was at the beginning of the 70-year captivity prophesied by Jeremiah. Babylon attacked Jerusalem and took noble Israelites captive, like Daniel and his friends. Due to sin and rebellion, the people are devastatingly placed in Babylonian captivity, and yet a hope found within the promise of Jeremiah 29:11 for his chosen people states that the story is not over. And Jeremiah 29:11, as we know, and I'm not wearing this sweatshirt today, but it says,

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

So within the first few chapters, Daniel's identity as a Jewish man was being challenged. He was chosen to serve the king and learn the language and culture of the Babylonians. I would call it indoctrination.

Sounds a lot like it.

It was different and something new for him, but he had to make a choice. What identity was going to continue to shape him? Yet Daniel chose to anchor his identity in whose he was, as someone chosen by God. We are all given the decision to root our identity in something or someone. The definition of identity is the distinguishing character or personality of an individual. When faced with an identity dilemma, every decision we make, either more firmly roots or masks, our identity. That's why you never see someone change their core values, beliefs, or character overnight. It's a gradual stacking of daily decisions that adds up over time.

So where has God positioned you now? Make a list of some of the things that you observe in the culture around you. How do you view yourself within this culture?

Do you know whose you are?

Whose?

That's right. That's the better question. Just like Daniel, we're being indoctrinated. Our children are being indoctrinated. We are being softened to the ideas of the world.

I couldn't have said it better. Let's pray for some assistance from the Lord.

Dear God, we are unshaken by this uncertainty and fear when we have the confidence that you have given us. The confidence that Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had to stand up to know what's right and to always do it. Lord, help us to be unshaken, help us to be bold, help us to know our identity and to keep our identity grounded in you. For we know that the power of Jesus, nothing, can stand in our way. If we seek your will according to your kingdom, Lord, we love you and we give the day to you. In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.