Daniel, Part 2-The Daniel Diet
11Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12“Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given only vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13Then compare our appearances with those of the young men who are eating the royal food, and deal with your servants according to what you see.”
14So he consented to this and tested them for ten days. 15And at the end of ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than all the young men who were eating the king’s food. 16So the steward continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and he gave them vegetables instead. (Daniel 1:11-16)
Last post, I introduced the prophet Daniel to you readers. Just a few verses later, Daniel and his three friends had decided not to “defile” themselves by eating King Nebuchadnezzar’s food and wine. As you read in the verses above, Daniel asks the chief official to give him ten days where the four young men only ate vegetables and drank water. At the end of the ten days, we read that “they looked healthier and better nourished than all the young men” who were eating the king’s lavish food. Daniel’s diet, which would be labeled as a Vegan diet by today’s standards, was more about what he was not putting in his body than what he was. Sure, there is a lot of virtue, value, and significant health benefits for eating a strictly vegetarian diet. And The Daniel Fast is a popular fast among Christians that lasts anywhere from 10-days to some following the fast through the 40-days of Lent. But Daniel was more focused on what he was not putting in his body than what he was. He recognized that the gluttonous feasting of a king was something he wanted no part of. Daniel sought greater connection with God and his reliance on God to give him strength while eating just vegetables paid off in obvious radiance.
While Daniel’s diet is a popular way to fast throughout the year, it is a better reminder on how to live. Instead of consuming things from the world, we, as Christians, should only be putting the Bread of Life into our lives. As we approach the season of Lent, which begins on March 5, think about what you want to fast from. Maybe it will be from social media, or all distractions that take away from your time that you could be spending focused on strengthening your relationship with Jesus. Maybe a Daniel fast is something that interests you, to help clean up your body from the inside out. Maybe a break from all this political upheaval. Maybe your fast will look more like pouring your time and energy into serving the world around you. Whatever you choose, make 2025 the year you give up as much as you can, to gain so much more in return. We are in a period of increasing darkness in this country, and as we march toward Easter Sunday, we need to boldly let go of the world’s hold on us so we can form the right relationship with our Righteous King.
Passion Music released their annual album from this year’s Passion Conference. The conference is an amazing gathering of college age students at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, and this year had many incredible messages (which you can listen to by clicking here). The worship music that came out of this event is just as amazing. The full set can be heard here, and below is my favorite. Leave the world behind and Come to Jesus.
Common Sense Reborn 