Among these (captives) were some from Juda: Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 1:6, 7).
Jan and I worshiped yesterday in a really special start up United Methodist Church with a dynamic Contemporary Worship Service here in the VA mountains called "Out of the Box Church." It was truly "out of the box" and reaching a lot of people of all ages. We had met the drummer and a young guy preparing for UM ministry (going to Duke next
year) at a little shop here in Fancy Gap on Friday and they invited us to join them. Sometimes that's all it takes: an invitation, doesn't it?
Now, back to Daniel, the next book in our travels through the Bible. Jerusalem has been destroyed and the creme dela creme have been taken 500 miles East to Babylon. Daniel and his three friends among them. They become the picture of what Jesus later spoke of: "being in theworld but not of the world," because they determined not to defile
themselves by eating all the fine stuff the king had ordered for them and others to eat and drink, requesting instead to eat only vegetables and water. It took some persuading, but the official ok'd it on a trial basis. After the 10 day trial, Daniel and his friends looked healthier and better nourished than the others.
Does this suggest that we all become vegetarians? Probably not, though you can if you so choose. But the greater lesson is this: We all find ourselves in situations we would never have chosen, but we can always choose, in the midst of that difficult situation, to remain true to our roots, to our core beliefs, to what we believe down deep to be true; to be "in the world but not of the world."
I'm reading a wonderful book here in the mountains: Doris Kearns Goodwin's The Bully Pulpit; it's about Teddy Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. Teddy was reared by parents who showered him with love, expansive experiences and high moral integrity, all of which equipped Teddy to live "from the inside out," from a deep center that enabled
him to be true to himself, while also affirming and accepting others as they were. Now that's a remarkably wonderful way to live!
Pray about taking Disciple 1, 2, 3, 4 or Christian Believer this Fall. 34 weeks. Excellent. Sign ups late August.
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Welcome to the new Trinity United Methodist Church's Daily Scripture Email system.
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