Resolve and Passion

Last night as we were watching The Olympics, I was
struck by both the passion and resolve of the athletes.
They obviously loved the sport, the competition and
they were going for the gold! Many have had physical
challenges along the way, but they gave it their all.

Daniel and his friends were men of both resolve and
passion. They grew up together in Jerusalem while
the city was under siege. Each of them must have
considered how the situation was playing out and what
could be the consequences for them. Captivity or death,
or maybe both. Did they talk and pray into the night
over dry crusts of bread and left over jam? Was it in this
tight knit community that they resolved  not to defile
themselves by the Babylonian spirit, no matter what?
We don't know whether or not the long journey was the
means God used to give clarity of the situation. We do
know that by the time they arrived in pagan Babylon,
they were united in vision and purpose: they would not
defile themselves! They refused to eat pork and drink
strong wine at the table of the King. They passed the
first test, together.

Dear reader, we need each other! We need to share,
pray, cry, laugh. In this day, now, while it is still light,
we must get real with others of like mind. For what are
we willing to die; for whom or what are we living.
What is our purpose and goal?

Thankfulness corner:
For a daughter who took hours of her time today so
that I can do both the blog and e-mail. What a mess
it has been the past few months!