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So much more than I deserve…. (devo reflection)

Daniel 11:32 With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.

Flattery leads to pride. Pride can lead to all sorts of issues—chiefly, a lack of humility. Humility, being humble, not clinging to pride, is something God has been working with me on for a while.

Daniel 11:33 “Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered.

The nature of pride can be insidious. It’s not like I’m strutting around thinking that I’m “all that and a bag of chips.” It’s more about attitude, the things I think I deserve, the anger and bitterness when they don’t pan out.

Daniel 11:34 When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them.

Lord, You have already given me so much more than I deserve or could ever earn, simply by giving me the title of Your beloved child. Help me to be forever humble in You. Help me to resist those who oppose You. Help me to shine Your light, to comfort Your people, to be Your hands and feet. Draw me closer. Amen.

Daniel 11:35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

Have a blessed day.

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Your words were heard…. (devo reflection)

Daniel 10:12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.

I find this verse incredibly profound. God heard Daniel’s prayer. Why? How? Because Daniel set his mind to gain understanding and Daniel humbled himself before the Lord. And since the first day he started—not the day he finally got it right but from the first attempt—God heard his words, his prayers. Thank You, Jesus.

Daniel 10:18 Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength.

I am at once both humbled and unsettled. I have been studying God’s word earnestly for years, trying to gain understanding, trying to humble myself. And I’ve been praying most all my life. According to this verse, my prayers reached God from the moment I set my mind to studying Him. Sadly, not all my words have been worth hearing. There is a lot of grumbling mixed in, like this morning when my alarm went off and I didn’t want to get up. Help me, Jesus.

Daniel 10:19a “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.”

Lord, Thank You for recognizing that I have set my heart to study You, that I strive to humble myself before You. Thank You for hearing my words and my prayers. Help me not to grumble, Lord. Help me not to squander a single precious moment You have given me. Help me to strengthen my prayer life as I lift up Your people. Amen.

Daniel 10:19b When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”

Have a blessed day.

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Daniel’s prayer…. (devo reflection)

Daniel 9:20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill—

There is a lot in this chapter, but as usual, I want to focus on what spoke to my heart. Verse 23 says: “As soon as you began to pray, a word went out….” God didn’t even wait for Daniel to finish his prayer before God began acting in response. That’s the kind of rich prayer life I want.

Daniel 9:21 …while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.

Looking at Daniel’s prayer, I notice many things. Daniel’s prayer addresses God and gives Him glory. His prayer is also humble. Daniel says, “We have sinned and done wrong.” He’s not standing aside and pointing fingers. He asks God to act, not for Daniel’s sake or Israel’s sake but for God’s sake, “because Your city and Your people bear Your name” (verse 18).

Daniel 9:22 He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding.

Lord, I still have so much to learn about You and about prayer. Thank You for the wisdom of Daniel. Thank You for the understanding that this life is not about me. It’s about You—Your goodness, Your glory, Your people. Humble me. Use me in Your service. Draw me close. Hear my prayer. Amen.

Daniel 9:23 As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.

Have a blessed day.

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Not by human power…. (devo reflection)

Daniel 8:23 “In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise.

To me, this chapter is very reminiscent of Revelations. There is a lot that I don’t understand. When that happens, I cling to the things I know with certainty. One of those can be found in Isaiah 55:8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” God’s got a plan, and it is far beyond anything I could imagine.

Daniel 8:24 He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people.

The second thing I know with certainty is how God is calling me to act, even in uncertainty and confusion. That can be found in Matthew 22:37-39: Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Even when I am uncertain, acting in love—love for God and love for people—is the right move.

Daniel 8:25 He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.

Lord, Thank You for Your certainty, even in my confusion. Thank You that I can trust that You have a perfect plan which is beyond anything I could imagine, and thank You for the understanding that even when I am confused, I know that loving You and loving others is always a good plan. Draw me closer. Amen.

Daniel 8:26 “The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.”

Have a blessed day.

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So many questions…. (devo reflection)

Daniel 7:15 “I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me.

I have so many questions about this chapter. Daniel has been the go-to dream interpreter thus far in this book. Why can’t he interpret his own dream? Why was he troubled in spirit? Because of the dream itself or his inability to interpret its meaning? Who exactly were the people he approached to ask about the dream? Were they godly? Were their interpretations accurate?

Daniel 7:16a I approached one of those standing there and asked him the meaning of all this….

Why didn’t God give Daniel the ability to interpret his own dream? Did it have anything to do with keeping Daniel humble? Why is Daniel so troubled about the whole situation? That’s mentioned in both verse 15 and 28. Again, was it his inability to interpret that disturbed him or the dream itself that was bothersome? Why did he keep the matter to himself? Why is someone who has always been so confident and so strong suddenly so different?

Daniel 7:16b …“So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things….

Lord, I have lots and lots of questions, but I know You are here with me. Perhaps there are answers to my questions and perhaps the lesson is that I can move forward even in my confusion with You by my side. Maybe that’s Daniel’s lesson, too. I’m looking and seeking, Lord. Help me to see and understand. Draw me closer. Amen.

Daniel 7:28 “This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself.”

Have a blessed day.

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Relentless pursuit of my heart…. (devo reflection)

Daniel 6:3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

At its heart, this chapter, like so many others, is about pride and its dangers. Ultimately, it’s the administrators and the satraps who were jealous of Daniel’s impeccable character, jealous of the king’s desire to set Daniel in a position of authority over the whole kingdom. This jealousy and bitterness, this pride led to the events in Daniel 6, events that led to the deaths of not only the administrators and the satraps who plotted but also of their wives and children.

Daniel 6:4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.

I truly believe this is one of the reasons God keeps after me about laying down my pride and adopting an attitude of humility, about letting go of my anger and bitterness about what I think “should be.” He knows that that way lies destruction for me, and He loves me too much to want that end for me.

Daniel 6:5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”

Lord, Thank You for Your relentless pursuit of my heart. Thank You that You love me too much to let my pride get the better of me. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). Amen.

Daniel 6:15 Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.”

Have a blessed day.

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This motif of pride and humility…. (devo reflection)

Daniel 5:22-23 “But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven….you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.

Here we are again with this motif of pride and humility. Belshazzar had the example of Nebuchadnezzar’s humbling and still Belshazzar chose pride. Daniel 5:27 says God weighed Belshazzar and found him wanting. This is not the end that I want. I want to live a life that allows my Father to say, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt 25:21).

Daniel 5:26 “Here is what these words mean: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.

So how do I live in a way that might allow that to happen? Daniel 5:23 gives me insight: “honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways.” How do I honor God? Love God. Love others. Humble myself before Him. It seems so simple, so why do I struggle so?

Daniel 5:27 Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.

Lord, Thank You for meeting me here again this morning. Thank You for working on my humility again and again and again so that I don’t end up like Belshazzar. Thank You for showing me the way to honor You. Help me to honor You daily, hourly, moment by moment. Amen.

Daniel 5:28 Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

Have a blessed day.

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To seek and to see…. (devo reflection)

Daniel 4:29-30 Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”

I have a new appreciation and thankfulness this morning that in all God’s dealings with me in the realm of humility, He hasn’t had to go to the extremes of Nebuchadnezzar to get my attention. However, I am just as guilty of the prideful attitude that Nebuchadnezzar had. I’ve strutted around, thinking how proud I was of all my accomplishments, thinking how I deserved the things I’d earned, thinking I deserved things that weren’t mine.

Daniel 4:33 Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.

The way of self-seeking pride lies madness. For me, it was more about anger and bitterness when I didn’t get what I thought I deserved. Those emotions eat at my soul. So much better to live in the attitude of the song “Holy Now,” which I mentioned a while back. When I seek and look for God’s presence, I see it everywhere, and it’s a beautiful gift.

Daniel 4:34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.

Lord, Give us eyes to seek You and see You everywhere, so that we can live in the wonder of Your presence all around us. Give us humble hearts, so that we can be filled with the awe of Your presence and goodness instead of filled with our own anger and bitterness at what we think we deserve. Thank You for Your fierce love and boundless grace. Amen.

Daniel 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

Have a blessed day.

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But even if he does not…. (devo reflection)

Daniel 3:15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”

God doesn’t always act the way we want Him to. He doesn’t always bring the healing we feel is warranted in the way we feel it should happen. Sometimes bad things happen. Sometimes healing comes in Heaven instead of on earth. That doesn’t mean God is absent or unconcerned.

Daniel 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.

Faith isn’t fickle. God can do all things. Nothing is impossible with Him. A lack of healing or lack of answers we wanted doesn’t mean we weren’t faithful enough or that God’s absent or inattentive. It means God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). It means His will is not ours. It means we have to trust.

Daniel 3:17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.

Lord, Help me to have the faith of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, to know in my heart, in my soul, that no matter the situation, You are “able to deliver us from it, and You will deliver us from” it, but even if You do not, even if my will, my prayer is not Your answer, help me to continue strong in the faith that You are with me, that You love me, that You are working for my good and Your glory. Always. Amen.

Daniel 3:18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Have a blessed day.

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Put God first, and help others…. (devo reflection)

Daniel 2:17 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.

Daniel seems an exceptionally humble young man. Was he always like that? Was this humility granted after the test at the end of chapter 1? Nothing in this chapter seems self-seeking. He isn’t patting his own back, resting on his own merit, singing his own praises. His heart seems to be in the right place: put God first, and help others.

Daniel 2:18 He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

I consider myself to be a fairly decent person, but I know I still have a long way to go. In the realm of “Put God first, and help others,” I’m awfully bad to start qualifying  my help according to the world and my own prejudices. I’ve mentioned that God’s been working on me for a long time in the realm of humility, of emptying me of myself so God can fill me. I am a work in progress.

Daniel 2:19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven…

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the progress You have made in me in the area of humility. It’s slow and painstaking progress, but it is absolutely progress, and I am grateful. Empty me of myself. Fill me with Your love, grace, compassion, peace. Help me to put You first and help others, always. Amen.

Daniel 2:30 As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind.

Have a blessed day.