Daniel 1:9

9 Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel.

 

Sometimes we are placed in situations we do not know how we will get out of. We are placed in situations or places where we think we are alone and there is no exit, but the Lord always opens a door when the situations looks difficult. In this case Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are taken to king Nebuchadnezzar’s palace. There, they are to be fed and taught the language and literature of Babylon. The king even has special meals set for them. However, Daniel declines king Nebuchadnezzar’s meals and wine. Not wanting to defile himself by eating the food and wine offered by the king. The chief of staff was ordered to feed them certains foods and wine. Daniel being an Israelite whose land had just been besieged or taken control of by Babylon, had no say in what he could eat, especially being a guest in the king’s palace. He had no right to request something else to eat. But the Word says “God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel”. Being in the king’s own palace where everyone serves the king and are at his command, God places in the the chief of staff’s heart, affection and respect towards Daniel. So much affection and respect, that he knowingly, disobeys the king’s orders and follow Daniel’s instructions to be fed only vegetables and water. The one place where king Nebuchadnezzar had total control, in his own palace, God placed a person to help Daniel. The one place where it looked like no one would ever help him, God placed someone in that exact place to help him when he needed it. So the chief of staff served Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah only vegetables and water, just as Daniel requested. The Lord will always place the right people in our lives to help us in difficult situations. God will have the right people, in the exact place, for the right situations when we need them.