This last week, we were looking at the first dream that Daniel interprets for King Nebuchadnezzar. The passage that took up the bulk of my time this morning is found in Daniel 2: 20-23. Let me set the scene...
Nebuchadnezzar has a dream. It causes him to wake up and obsess about the dream and its meaning to the point that he starts killing anyone who cannot interpret it. He doesn't even know what he saw in this dream and its making him crazy. Daniel, hearing the rumors of the massacre, asks the king for more time so he can interpret the dream for the king. Daniel and his friends (Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego) are up all night, fervently praying for God to grant wisdom and understanding for the king's request. Sometime during the night, God grants a vision upon Daniel, explaining the dream and its interpretation. Do you know what Daniel's first words were?
19 Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said:
“ Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
21 And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
22 He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him.
23 “ I thank You and praise You,
O God of my fathers;
You have given me wisdom and might,
And have now made known to me what we asked of You,
For You have made known to us the king’s demand.” (New King James; www.biblegateway.com)
He praises God and thanks Him for His answer. God had this planned all along. After all, wasn't He the One who planted this dream in the king? Here was Daniel, threatened with the great chance that he was going to be killed, and he asks the king for more time. God grants him boldness and tact in his request.
I was then looking at Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." I couldn't help but read the context, only to find out that Jeremiah wrote this letter "to all who were carried away captive" (vs. 4). These were those taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar into Babylon. I could be wrong, but this could have been Daniel and his friends. God wanted to reassure Daniel that He had a plan and a purpose.
Our study was then talking about God's provision. God's plans are ultimately in time with His end in mind. What about our plans? My friend and I were talking about making plans and goals with our lives. I see nothing wrong with making financial goals, house plans, even spiritual goals. But we need to be sure that our plans and goals fall in line with His end in mind. Are our plans for His benefit? Does God care if we build a house or remodel a kitchen? Sure He does...what is our motive? If it's just for earthly recognition and social status, then I'm sure He wouldn't approve.
But if we put every request before God, even the ones we think are trivial, we must be open to His changes. If we set a goal and it isn't met, have we failed? Or are we open to seeing how God is working and if/when He wants that goal met?
He promises to grant the desires of our hearts, but they must fall within His will. And we will only know His will if we are in constant contact with Him through His Word and prayer. We'll never meet our goals here on earth if they don't fall within His goals for eternity.
Do I still hope to build a house someday? You betchya. And I talk to Him about it every day. Maybe He'll show me that He wants us to stay here or move somewhere else. But I have to trust that He knows the desires of my heart and that as long as they serve His purpose here on earth, then we'll receive His reward in Heaven.
Who knows...maybe I'm completely off base here. Maybe God doesn't want me to make these type of plans at all. Maybe He wants me to just sit and wait for Him to play His next hand. We know people who believe that if God wants them to do something or be somewhere, that He'll just show it. I don't know...I think maybe God wants us to be active and proactive in our lives here on earth for His purpose.
And I can trust that along the way, He'll show if my desires are a part of His plan or not.
3 comments:
going crazy... well I thought I beat you to it... but I am still going crazy and have absolutely no idea how to go forward in life.. it seems like to really believe I must give up on everything.. sure others can argue differently but if I read the Good Book... well.. it says what it says and it is pretty clear.. if you want to follow.. give everything up
Give up your plans, your dreams, your family, friends, love, self, your health and your hope in anything that provides security.. carry your cross.. and then you have followed
Honestly it feels as if I have no faith at all and I am just fooling myself and being a Christian is only a nice to have and not a TOTAL way of life... really makes be frustrated
hope you found the answers cause if you have... please pass them this way?
Kennet I came across your comment today and have been thinking about it a lot.
The thought of having to give up ones hopes, dreams, family and security in order to take up your cross and follow Christ is not exactly what Scripture is saying.
It is true that it says to take up your cross and Christ did tell the rich man to give up all his possessions and follow him.
However if you read Galatians 5 it lists out the attributes of the flesh (our sin nature) and then it lists out the attributes of our new nature in Christ.
When we are told to take up our cross it is talking about giving our worldly desires (the fleshly attributes in Galatians 5) to Christ. The section talking about the rich man giving up all of his possessions and following Christ would fall into the categories of idolatry, jealousy and envy at the very least. If we are not willing to give up worldly possessions to follow our Savior then we are worshiping our possessions over Christ.
In the end what it comes down to is that when we accept Christ as our Savior we don't have to give up the things you listed. It's just that they change. After all when you get married you don't give up your family for your spouses. Your plans and dreams aren't just about you anymore they now include you spouse. The same is true when we are saved. We become part of the church who is Christ's bride.
The part about security! What better security is there than salvation by grace through faith? Once we believe we are guaranteed eternal life with Christ! That is way Paul says in Philippians 1 "For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain." Our life is in Christ and when we die our eternal life with Christ begins. There is no greater security.
I pray that you find the answers you are looking for, and that Christ would reveal His will for your life to you. The joy you are looking for in the things you listed can only be found in Jesus Christ.
- God Bless you and keep you
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