by Bible League International

Verse of the Day and Devotion

"But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days."  - Daniel 12:13 ESV

Devotion

You don't get to decide what position and place you have in the Kingdom of God. This applies not only in the future Kingdom to come, but also in the Kingdom as it is presently in place. Although you may certainly ask the Lord for the fullness of His purpose for you (Jeremiah 29:11-13), although you may certainly ask Him for the spiritual gifts necessary for the fullness of His purpose for you (I Corinthians 14:1), you must humbly accept the plan the Lord has for you. You must endure and overcome in everything He has decided to ask of you. In the final analysis, you're a follower, not a leader. (Matthew 16:24)

This means that selfishness and selfish ambition have no place in the Kingdom of God. Two of Jesus' disciples, the brothers James and John, tried to gain authority over and above the other disciples. They realized that Jesus was going to be the King seated at God's right hand in the Kingdom (Mark 16:19) and they wanted the seats of authority next to him for themselves. So, they went behind the backs of the others and asked Jesus, '"Let us share the great honor you will have as king. Let one of us sit at your right side and the other at your left."' (Mark 10:37)

Jesus, however, told them the way it is in the Kingdom: '". . . but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.""' (Mark 10:40) That's essentially the same thing that Daniel was told by an angel as recorded in our verse for today: "And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days." Like James and John, Daniel has a position and place in the Kingdom of God. Like James and John, it was decided for him what his allotment would be.

And that's the way it is for you as well. You have an allotted place in the Kingdom of God. After all, the Kingdom is a Kingdom, not a democracy.

Do, then, what Daniel was told to do: "go your way till the end." In other words, don't strive and struggle to get the upper hand over people. Instead, go your way within the allotted place the Lord is opening up before you.