Set Apart
“All these people were still living by faith when they died.
They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them
from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on
earth” (Hebrews 11:13).
Are you feeling that you just don’t belong in our culture or
that you’re a foreigner in your own land? As Christians we are set apart from
the world. So when you feel as though you’re living in a strange land, rejoice
in knowing that you are part of God’s Kingdom, not the kingdom of this world:
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s
special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out
of darkness into his wonderful light. . . . Dear friends, I urge you, as
foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against
your soul” (1 Peter 2:9, 11).
When you feel overwhelmed by the shadow of the world and alone in your stand
for the Truth, look toward Daniel’s example. No matter what temptation or
pressure was set before him, Daniel always remembered that he was set apart
from this world. Knowing that he was part of God’s Kingdom and that God was on
his side gave Daniel the strength to face the world.
God calls us to His own set of standards and morals—not those of the people
around us. And as we follow what is righteous, we must also stand up for
righteousness. When we are ridiculed for our beliefs, we must hold on to our
identity in Christ. Challenging the status quo will not be easy, but we must
stand firm in our beliefs, or we will be swept up in the current of this world.
Prayer: God, sometimes I feel I just don’t belong in this world. Help me
to remember that I belong to Your Kingdom. Help me to follow Daniel’s example
and to stand up for what is right. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.