Among LionsНамуна

CONTEXT: Daniel and his friends are given new names after entering Babylon.

Names are foundational to our identity. Some hold deep, significant meaning, while others are passed down generationally. Think about your own name. If someone suddenly started calling you by another name, it would feel uncomfortable, wouldn’t it? This is what Daniel and his friends faced shortly after arriving in Babylon.

In today’s verse, we find Daniel and his friends being assimilated into the culture. In preparation for serving King Nebuchadnezzar, they entered a three-year training program indoctrinating them with Babylonian language and literature in preparation to serve King Nebuchadnezzar. It’s at this time they’re also given new names. Daniel is renamed Belteshazzar, Hananiah - Shadrach, Mishael - Meshach, and Azariah - Abednego.

Imagine not only being physically taken from your homeland, family, and friends but, piece by piece, every fiber of who you are is being replaced. How do you hold onto who you are? Or do you throw your hands up, surrendering to those who are in control? Once again, we see why it was so important that these four knew who they were and Who they belonged to. Their faith and trust in God were so strong that even renaming them didn’t shake their identity!

God also has names describing His unchanging character. For example, Jehovah-Jireh means “The Lord will Provide” (Genesis 22:14), Emmanuel is ‘God with us” (Isaiah 7:14), and Jehovah-Rapha translates to “The Lord who Heals” (Exodus 15:26). One of the most personal names of God is Adonai which means “My Lord” (Ezekiel 16:8b). That is what God desired of Daniel and his friends, to be the true Lord of their life. Even when the king was stripping them of their identity, attempting to become the ruler of their lives, these four knew without a doubt that God was their Lord, and He alone held their allegiance and devotion.

This is what God requires of us, too. We might not have a king trying to literally rename us, but we do have society, culture, and social media fighting for our attention and threatening our identity. Just like Daniel, we, too, have to decide where our identity will be grounded and who or what will claim our allegiance.

CONSIDER THIS:

1. Think about your own name. Does it hold significant meaning? Why or why not?

2. God desires to be the Lord of our lives. Examine your life. Is there something or someone that is more important than God? What would it look like to prioritize God as the Lord of your life?

3. Write a prayer of confession, repenting for the area(s) you haven’t surrendered to God, and ask Him to help you honor Him in all things.