A Work in Progress….

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Daniel 1:8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.

One thing I have come to realize about conflict on social media is that it seems designed to inflame passions and insight knee-jerk reactions. Interestingly, I think there is a lot to be learned from Daniel 1 about a better approach to dealing with conflict in today’s society.

Daniel 1:11-13 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.”

Daniel is firm in his convictions and rational in his approach. He doesn’t demand anything of the guard. He explains his position and proposes an experiment so the guard can test his concerns. He also recognizes the guard’s concerns and the reason behind those concerns, which are grounded in fear for the guard’s own well-being. The outcome is incredibly positive for all.

Daniel 1:14-15 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.

Lord, Help us to approach each other, especially in conflict, with humility, compassion, and common sense instead of inflamed emotions and knee-jerk reactions. Help us to have level heads and grace-filled hearts as we relate to each other—especially those we fear, don’t like, or don’t understand. Draw us closer to You as we strive to live a life that glorifies You in the world. Amen.

Daniel 1:17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.

Have a blessed day.