When you were a child, what did you most want to be or do when you grew up? Take a minute and think back and try to remember.
I loved baseball. I lived it everyday. I couldn't wait to wake up in the morning and put on the glove. I've noticed my son is the same way. It must be a boy thing. That love for baseball gave me dreams of being a Major Leaguer for the LA Dodgers. I know, you may not be a fan, but they were my favorite team. I was in little league, travel leagues and High School. Mid way through my High School career, my passion for baseball faded. What? Yes it did. There went all my dreams of making it to the big show. But I had a different passion at that time. As soon as baseball faded, another one sprang to life; being a pastor.
Did this happen to you too? Many people have had similar experiences. They grew up with one passion and ended up doing something else. Why does that happen?
It happens because our dream was truly childish. We grow up and realize that it was just a childs' dream. Another reason is that we just got burned out by it. We gave it all of our lives early and when the time came for it to be a career, we had nothing left to give. Many potential sports heros tell their story of quiting because they burned out on it. I'm sure that is true in many areas.
I also think that our passions change because we wanted to do what we were gifted to do but not what we were made to do. That is where God enters the picture.
For Daniel, he probably had dreams of getting a job and raising a family in a suburb of Jerusalem and found himself in Babylonia as a servant in the kings court. Ezra 8:2 we find that Daniel is a descendant of Ithamar. Who's Ithamar? He is the son of Aaron. Aaron is Moses' bother and the head of the priestly line. The priestly line took care of the temple and the services inside. If you were a descendant in the priestly line, your job was set before you. So possibly, Daniel was getting ready to start his duties as a priest.
But things changed in the blink of eye and God had other plans for him. Read Daniel 1 or click to view http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel+1&version=NIV (Click back arrow on your browser to return here)
Daniels new job is found in verse 17: He could understand visions and dreams. That was his new job and in a foriegn country too.
How did Daniel respond? We don't know those fine details but as you read his book, he followed God's plan for his life instead of resenting it.
What career does God want you to have? Are you doing it? Are you willing to follow Him no matter what?
Don't misunderstand. I don't want you to quit your job right now. Especially when jobs are hard to come by. Just stop and pray. Ask God, "Am I doing what you want me to do?" And then just listen and wait.
As you close: Thank God for His plan for your life. Thank Him in advance for showing His glory through you as a fully surrendered follower of Christ.
God bless!
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