Reading from Friday, November 26

Post four for the day.

Reading for November 26
Daniel 2:24-3:30
So Daniel interprets King Nebby's dream. Actually, he not only interprets it, but he tells the king what happened in the dream without Nebby giving so much as a single detail. Because Daniel was able to do this, and because he gave full credit to God, Nebby recognized Daniel's God as mighty and powerful and gave Daniel a high position in his cabinet. Daniel then promoted Rack, Shack and Benny to work under him.

Shortly after this, Nebby set up a gold statue of himself and ordered that everyone in the whole land fall down and worship it. Likely fearing God, Rack Shack and Benny refuse to worship this idol. Furious, Nebby orders that the three be thrown into the furnace and that the furnace be heated to seven times the normal temperature. It was so hot that the flames killed the guards that threw them in. Once they were inside, Nebby peered through a window and saw that there were no longer three men in the furnace, but four and they weren't burning or dying or anything. He ordered them to come out and they did without a single singed hair or crisped garment. Once again, Nebby recognizes the insane power of God and orders that anyone who speaks ill against Rack, Shack or Benny is to be cut into a million pieces and their house burnt to the ground and peed on. I made up that last part.

This all sounds intensely familiar, too. This is the same way that Moses rose to power and he ruled with the enemy army over the enslaved Jews. This is the exact same scenario, except this time it's occurring in the promised land.

1 Peter 4:7-5:14
Some intensely hopeful things here:

 ⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

¹⁰ And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

There's something so beautifully simple about verse 7. This is one of the most beneficial components to knowing God, at least for me. When I am wise enough to remember, I take whatever worries I have and "give them to God" so to speak. I just say "whatever God wills will happen" and that's the best I can do at that time. But that always makes me feel better when I do that. Knowing that its out of my hands is hugely helpful in my day to day. I would encourage all of you to do the same and see how it improves your worry.  

Psalm 119:81-96
Boom.

 ⁸⁹ Your word, LORD, is eternal;
   it stands firm in the heavens.
⁹⁰ Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
   you established the earth, and it endures.

Proverbs 28:15-16
 ¹⁵ Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
   is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.
 ¹⁶ A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,
   but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.

That's four in one day. Crazy.