Reading Plan:
Daniel 2


Our Thoughts:
Talk about pressure! Daniel chapter 2 tells us that King Nebuchadnezzar began having dreams so troublesome that they kept him up at night. Nightmares and sleepless nights drove the king in desperation for answers. Nebuchadnezzar decided to call all of his counselors into the room to ask their interpretation of the meaning of his dreams. Here is the catch, the king refused to tell the counselors what he had actually dreamed about. He was so paranoid that the counselors might lie to him for their own selfish gain that he demanded they tell him what he dreamt and what the dreams meant. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it isn’t hard to imagine someone trapped in self-seeking behavior doing crazy things to protect what they have. I have seen plenty of people who go to extreme lengths to protect their reputation or their assets - usually born out of paranoia and fear.
Paranoia typically leads to anger, so when the counselors admitted that his demands were impossible, Nebuchadnezzar flew off the deep end. The king demanded that all the wise men and counselors in the kingdom be put to death (Daniel 2:12). Like paranoia, anger never leads to good decisions.

If you remember the first chapter of Daniel’s story, God blessed Daniel for his faithfulness and this led to him being considered one of the wisest men in the nation (Daniel 1:8-9). Daniel and his three friends were now caught up in Nebuchadnezzar’s fury through no fault of their own. What felt like a blessing in one season, now felt more like a curse.
As soon as Daniel realized the circumstances, scripture tells us that “Daniel replied with prudence and discretion… He went in and requested the king to appoint him a time that he might show the interpretation to the king.” Daniel 2:14-16. Wow! Daniel barely knew the details of the problem before he stepped up and stepped into an opportunity for God to use him. He knew inaction would lead to devastation so he decided to step into the pressure. Sometimes you have to be willing to move to find the miracle.

Now the pressure was really on for Daniel. Not only was his own life on the line but his friends and many others were also in the crosshairs of the king. Staring down at an impossible situation, look at Daniel’s first steps. “Then Daniel made the matter known to his companions and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven” Daniel 2:17-18. He knew that God alone could give him the wisdom that no one else had. If he was going to know what to do next, it had to come from God. James 1:5-6 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom let him ask God who gives generously to all without reproach. But ask in faith with no doubt.”

There is an important element in Daniel’s story that I don’t want us to miss today. Daniel didn’t seek God alone. He rallied his trusted friends, his companions, so they could pursue God together. Here is the lesson: If you are going to survive the pressure, you need companions alongside you in your pursuit of God.

More Questions:
• When was the last time you faced the impossible? Did you lean on God during that time? What did you learn through that experience?
• What wisdom do you need from God today? Take a few minutes today to pray and listen for what God has to say.


Prayer:
Lord, we pray for wisdom today to know the next right step to take. Give us the boldness to follow and trust you no matter how uncertain that step might be.


Author: Kyle Warren