Living Faithful in a Faithless Land: A Study of DanielSample

Week 1: God is at Work Even in the Painful Days

Hope in Disaster

Read: Daniel 1:1-2; Jeremiah 24:1-8; 1 Corinthians 1:4-9

SOAP: Jeremiah 24:7

"I will give them the desire to acknowledge that I am the Lord. I will be their God, and they will be my people. For they will wholeheartedly return to me.’

Into the Text

The most terrible thing the people of Judah could imagine had happened. The Babylonians had come and defeated Judah. They took items from the temple, which they then destroyed. God’s people were devastated. Many would have wondered, “How could God let this happen?” But in Daniel 1:2, we see that it was God who allowed it!

Why? In Jeremiah 24 we learn that God wanted to restore His relationship with His people. His desire was to build them up so that they would be rooted in Him and would desire what He does. God wanted His people to be wholeheartedly surrendered to Him so that they may live how they were made to live.

As women of God, we can acknowledge God is Lord of all – but how wholehearted are we? When things seem to be going wrong in our lives or the lives of those we love, how quick are we to question what God is doing?

When we look at the prayers written in the New Testament, many of them praise God for His character being at work in and through another individual. What is interesting is that God’s character often shines brightest in hardship and suffering. In these difficult moments when it would be easy to doubt God’s care and goodness, we see God closely drawing near and continually at work. This truth is worthy of our prayers of thanksgiving and praise.

The Lord looks after your welfare. He loves you. He is seeking after your heart. He knows you. He listens to you. You can trust all of your days to Him.

Prayer

Our loving Heavenly Father, you have been faithful over and over again. Help me to be wholeheartedly surrendered to you even when you say “no” or “wait” to my prayers. Lord, build me up. Strengthen my faith. Grow the fruit of the Spirit in my life. May I be assured that all of my days are safe in your hands. Amen