There Is A God
There Is A God
Reading: Daniel 1-2; Revelation 16
27 Daniel replied, “There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune-tellers who can reveal the king’s secret. 28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed…” (Daniel 2:27-28 NLT)
Daniel is one of my greatest heroes and one of the noblest men of all time. Taken captive as a young man and exiled to Babylon in 605 BC, he conducted himself wisely and became a high-level leader and advisor to Emperors Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar of Babylon, King Darius the Mede, and Cyrus, Emperor of Persia. He left behind prophecies of global events and future history.
On one occasion the genius-madman Emperor Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a troubling dream, and then, because they couldn’t explain the dream he couldn’t remember, irrationally threatened to execute all the wise advisors with whom he had surrounded himself!
Daniel dealt wisely with the threat, and received both the dream and its meaning by revelation from God. When Daniel had the opportunity to save his own life and allow the “magicians and enchanters” to be executed, he asked that their lives be spared. (These same people later managed to get Daniel’s friends sentenced to death in a furnace—a sentence God overturned! Many years later, these people got Daniel thrown into a den of hungry lions—another opportunity for God’s intervention.)
When Daniel had the opportunity to take credit for the gift God had placed in his life, he insisted that all the praise go to God. Daniel was also quick to share the benefits of his promotion with his friends.
Like Daniel, I believe There is a God in Heaven! Like Daniel:
• May I be known for wisdom and balanced judgment.
• May I be noble and gracious to those who oppose me.
• May I give honor to God and not take it for myself.
• May I share God-given blessing with others.
Prayer:
Father, Thank you for Daniel’s example. I so admire him! Thank you for the example of his lifetime of service in a variety of cultures and settings. Help me to live like Daniel, lead like Daniel, love like Daniel, and serve like Daniel.