Gems From My Reading

Be of good cheer.

The times of the Gentiles. Luke 21:24

Daniel chapter 2 is the story of a crisis in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, but upon waking, he could not remember what the dream had been. He then made completely unreasonable demands on his wise men. He wanted them to tell him what he had dreamed, and also its meaning. He told them that failure would incur death, but that success would bring gifts, rewards and great honour. Not unexpectedly, his wise men said, "There is none other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh" (Daniel 2:11)

Subsequent to this confession of failure, the king gave the order to execute all of the wise men, and of course this included Daniel and his friends. On the surface of things, this was a crisis of unprecedented proportions. Daniel and his friends were at risk, but what followed shows how we can use times of crisis to advantage, and find opportunities to glorify God. Daniel and his friends took up the challenge of the king since they knew "the God, whose dwelling was not with flesh." They were confident that God could reveal the thing to them, thus saving their lives, and the lives of the wise men of Babylon.

How do we view the crises that arise in our lives? Too often crises propel us into uncontrolled panic. "He that believeth shall not make haste" (panic) (Isiah 28:16). Daniel believed that God was sovereign, and that this crisis was a time of opportunity rather than a disaster, and he did not panic. Daniel believed that God could over-rule the insanity of an unreasonable yet powerful king, bringing deliverance to them, and glory to God.

Similarly, our world today seems to be spinning out of control, and the prediction of Scripture of "men's hearts failing them for fear" (Luke 21:26) is evident all around. How do we rest in the confidence that our God is sovereign, and that these crises could induce a period of unprecedented opportunity to present the gospel as the only answer to man's fundamental need? As men see their whole material world collapsing, may we be like Daniel, bringing words of confidence and assurance that God can be trusted to deliver the one who trusts in Him. Daniel - Willian Burnett

N.J. Hiebert - 8906