Six hundred years before the birth of Jesus Daniel was taken as an exile from his home in Jerusalem to Babylon under king Nebuchadnezzar. He was taken along with those three fire-proof guys, furnace testers, I think they were. When they got to Babylon they were placed among the kings wise men. But Daniel refused to eat the food the king ordered, instead, he asked for vegetables and water. After a short test Daniel and his friends were found to be in better physical and mental shape then the men who had been eating the kings food. And it began there...
That one choice to remain faithful to God in the midst of a crummy set of circumstances set a chain of events (directed by God's own hand of course) and resulted in Daniel being placed in charge of the province of Babylon AND head over all the kings wise men. The fiery furnace causes the king to issue a decree that anyone in any nation who says something against God be cut into pieces and their houses destroyed because, "no other god can save in this way."
Later, under king Darius, the king is tricked by some fellow wise men of Daniels and Daniel is thrown into a den of lions. The next morning Darius goes to the lion's den and shouts down to Daniel to see if he is still alive. After a moment of panic, Daniel responds that God sent His angels to shut the mouths of the lions and he is fine. Which causes king Darius to proclaim, "in every part of my kingdom people must fear the reverence the God of Daniel. 'For He is the living God and He endures forever; His kingdom will not be destroyed, His dominion will never end. He rescues and saves; He performs signs and wonders...'" Even into the reign of king Cyrus Daniel found favor and God was honored through his life.
Six hundred years later, because Daniel refused to eat the kings food and instead trust in God, the pagan Babylonian and then Persian kingdoms came to know God. These Chaldean wise men probably were from the same group that Daniel led so many years before. And because of Daniel's faithfulness they believed and were willing to make the journey to find Jesus and salvation.
Are you willing to follow God even when it might be difficult? Are you willing to trust him even if what is going on around you doesn't make sense, maybe isn't even your fault? Just think, trusting God today, on your journey no matter that finds you, could be the catalyst that causes people hundreds of years after you are gone to seek Jesus for themselves. And isn't that what we are called to do? To point to Jesus through our lives? Only GOD could make your legacy stretch over hundreds of years, but only YOU can decide to follow Him in your next decision... perhaps the one that leads to a nation acknowledging Him.
