Daniel Obeyed God
Daniel 1
May 24th, 2026
Sunday Recap
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Sunday Recap •
Hey Fams!
Some see Daniel as a book filled with epic adventures and fascinating prophecies—yet the heart of Daniel’s narrative goes much deeper. At its essence, Daniel is a survival guide, a bold blueprint for thriving in a world that’s hostile to those who place their faith in the one true God.
Daniel and his friends found themselves in a situation far removed from what they may have expected for their lives. Their people had been captured by the leading power of their day, the Babylonians. God’s people were exiled from their home to a foreign land where they would face severe persecution as they boldly lived out their faith in God.
What made this nation such a hostile environment for these young men? First, Babylon had a godless king who was known for murdering his enemies and those who defied him. Secondly, Daniel and his friends were forced to receive a Babylonian education that focused heavily on religious practices directly in contrast to their own, including a strong emphasis on astrology and the occult. These young men were not just to be removed from their homeland; rather, they were to be transformed into followers of the Babylonian way of life.
Imagine for a moment the pain of being removed from the only place you have ever known, isolated from friends and family, and inundated with daily teachings that contradict your fundamental beliefs. How would you react?
Daniel and his friends reacted with humble obedience. Even in the seemingly small matters, like eating the correct foods, Daniel and his friends desired to obey God and remain faithful to Him. Daniel and his friends decided they would stick to the diets prescribed in the Law instead of indulging in the king’s food, regardless of the consequences. Like Jesus in His time of temptation, Daniel and his friends realized that “man does not live by bread alone.” These young men trusted God to honor their obedience, and that is exactly what God did by giving them wisdom beyond their years.
As you teach kids this story, help them see how obedience to God is always better than following the ways of the world and how Jesus provides Christians with the Holy Spirit to help them obey God. Remind kids that we can glorify God in the small everyday choices we make and in everything we do.
***Next Week: Shadrach, Meshach, AND Abendego (Daniel 3)
Family Discipleship Plan
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Family Discipleship Plan •
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Read Daniel 1 from the Bible.
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The basic ingredients for chocolate chip cookies include flour, sugar, eggs, baking soda, butter, vanilla, salt, and chocolate chips. Do you know what would happen if you gathered each of these items and threw them into a bowl? You’d have a big mess and no cookies to enjoy! That’s because the recipe requires you to follow specific instructions and steps to make the perfect cookie.
Daniel loved God and wanted to obey Him. Even though Daniel was living in a foreign land with a pagan king, Daniel wanted to remain faithful to God’s laws. Like a recipe with specific instructions, God’s laws told Daniel exactly what he could and could not eat. Daniel chose to honor God by refusing the king’s food and asking permission to eat only vegetables and drink only water. God blessed Daniel’s faithfulness by giving him wisdom and strength!
The Bible tells us that God is perfect and holy and that God calls His people to likewise be holy and different from the world. The problem is that none of us can perfectly obey.
As we learn about Daniel’s obedience in this story, it’s a reminder of the perfect obedience we see in Jesus. Jesus perfectly obeyed God’s plan—even when it meant dying on the cross. If we trust in Him, Jesus credits us with His perfect righteousness!
Daniel was faithful to obey God, even in the small matters like eating the correct foods. Jesus was faithful to obey God in every way. When we trust in Jesus as Savior, God credits us with the perfect life Jesus lived.
Pray: God, we praise You because You are holy and perfect. You have given us Your Word to show us how to follow You. You sent Jesus to die on the cross in our place and provide the righteousness we could never earn. Thank You for Jesus and His perfect obedience. Amen.
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Preschool:
“Do everything for the glory of God”
1 Corinthians 10:31 (CSB)
1st-5th:
”So eat and drink and do everything else for the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIRV) -
Mornings
Ask God to show you ways to honor Him today. Think about the choices you will make, the interactions you will have with others, and the opportunities you’ll have to trust Him. Ask God to help you honor Him in each of those areas.Evenings
Thank God for the Bible and how it instructs our lives. Ask God to give you strength and wisdom to follow His commands. Remember that God’s forgiveness and blessing is based on Jesus’ perfect obedience and not our own! -
For Fun
Plan a vegetable dinner for your family. Serve different kinds of veggies and dips for kids to try. Talk about how Daniel obeyed God and honored Him by not eating the king’s food. Remind kids that it was God, not the food, that made Daniel wise and strong! We can ask God for the same wisdom and strength to follow Him.To Serve
Find a recipe for banana nut bread or a similar treat. Work with your kids to follow the recipe as it is written. Share the baked treat with a neighbor or friend. Remind kids that God wants us to follow Him and obey Him. While we can’t do that perfectly, Jesus did! We can have His righteousness by trusting in Him.