Today’s 333 Devotional: “God Honors Those Who Honor Him”

We live in a world and society that continues to assault the basic tenants and moral values of the Christian faith, and it’s made way into the church. There are Christians who want God to bless them, yet they are living in a way that counters God’s word. They are living their lives in disobedience to God.

And so, I’ve found myself saying on a regular basis that God honors those who honor Him through the way they live their lives.

This is on display in a remarkable way through the life of Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, also known as, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.

The food they were given to eat had been taken from the table of the king, food that had been dedicated to the Babylonian gods. Daniel, therefore, made up his mind to honor God, and God honored Daniel and his three friends in return.

“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank.” (Daniel 1:8a)

Because of this stance, God honored Daniel and gave him favor in the eyes of the overseer, who honored his request that a test to given in order to see if he and his friend’s appearance, capability, and capacity would be better or worse than all the other trainees.

“Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.” (Daniel 1:12-13)

In the end they not only looked better, but God gave them supernatural knowledge and skill beyond all the other trainees, and to Daniel God gave the gift of understanding, visions, and dreams (Daniel 1:17).

Therefore, God truly honors those who honor Him.