Fire, Passion, and Faith

 This morning I got up and sat by the fireplace and started praying or at least trying to. Sometimes I find it hard to articulate what to say to God and sometimes it just flows out of my mouth because there are circumstances and situations that are heavy burdens. Many times I forget to ask God to open my eyes before I begin reading the Bible but today I was intent on making that request to Him and so I prayed that He would open my eyes and ears to see and hear and to know Him deeper. So, I found myself reading Psalm 97, Daniel 2, and Matthew 25. Psalm 97 was a reminder that God reigns over all the earth and that we as believers should rejoice because of this and seek righteousness. If we love the Lord then we should hate evil.

Daniel 2 is what really hit me today though. Mandi and I were talking about the Dominican Republic and raising support and checking our hearts to make sure that we’re both ready. Packing up all your belongings and leaving everything you’ve known for a foreign country sounds romantic but it is not without questions. Questions are good though because once we are there the questioning we’ve done here will help us through difficult times…more importantly, the God we serve will help us through those times and so we must know Him deeper here, now. But as we discussed these things I was reminded of my desire and my passion to GO! The needs are great everywhere in the world for the Gospel and for believers to help equip and train fellow believers to take the Gospel further and to more people. Daniel was a captive in Babylon, he and his fellow Jews were taken away from their homeland in chains and delivered over to king Nebuchadnezzar for service in his kingdom. That sounds great until you realize that he was probably made a eunuch…ouch! But still he and a few others served God faithfully.

Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and he couldn’t remember it and summoned the expert dream interpreters to tell him his dream and then interpret it. Typically what would happen in those days is that the king would tell the interpreters his dream and then they would tell him what it meant…this was a whole new ballgame! The interpreters were saying “Let me get this straight, you want me to tell you what you dreamed…and then tell you what it means? Nobody other than the gods can do that.” So, being the supreme authority that he was, Nebuchadnezzar decided to order ALL of the interpreters and wise men to be killed! Daniel and his group of men didn’t have a clue what was going on until the soldiers came to take them away and kill them. Daniel asked one of the captains of the guard what was going on and he explained to Daniel the situation. Daniel didn’t hesitate or even pause to pray but went and made an appointment with the king so that he might show the interpretation of the dream. After that he went back to Shadrach, Meshach, and Obednego and told them “seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery.” What a great step of faith. The reality was that he had nothing to lose but everything to gain. If he didn’t ask for the opportunity to interpret the dream he was going to die and if he did and failed to then he would die. The only option for him to live was if the Lord intervened and gave him the dream and the interpretation. That is bold. I think it’s important to note that Daniel didn’t stop and pray first. He acted in response to a need and then he prayed and gathered others around him to pray. The book of Daniel is full of references to prayer and so I found it very interesting that this is the same response they had in chapter 1 when they decided they would not defile themselves with food sacrificed to idols and were bold enough to present the option of eating “the Daniel fast”. Through all of this it is important to note that verse 17 of chapter 1, God gave them learning and skill but it specifically points to Daniel having “understanding in all visions and dreams”. Daniel knew who he was in God and he knew his skills that God had given him and that is why he had confidence in the Lord in this situation. It all comes back to the Lord and our trust in Him. We can take risks for the cause of Christ and trust that whatever the outcome, the Lord is good.

Next thing is that Daniel prays such a beautiful prayer to God in verses 20-23. This is too good not to put in here:

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might.
He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding;
he reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with him.
To you, O God of my fathers,
I give thanks and praise,
for 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 matter.”

So, Daniel then gets to meet with the king and he says to Daniel, “Are you able…” Daniel’s response and said “No wise men, etc can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, BUT there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries…” Daniel gives all glory and honor to God. He points Nebuchadnezzar to the one, true, living God! How bold and how beautiful? Then as Daniel interprets the dream, he tells the king that it is the God of heaven who has given him his kingdom, his power, and his might. He tells this to a man who is some respects considered himself a god and was known for having men killed for displeasing him. What a beautiful life of complete abandonment to God? No fear of men and a strong desire to be faithful to the Lord and not to defile himself by the things of the world. Where are these men in our churches today? Oh that God would raise up men who know who they are in Christ and know what they have been gifted to do and who see needs and act trusting in the Lord.

So, this is what I read today and what has been fueling my desire to GO overseas and teach and train and make disciples. This passion and this fire is what will sustain us in moments of weakness because this passion and fire are rooted in God and not in our abilities. May the Lord equip us and bring glory to His name just as He equipped Daniel and Daniel was obedient and was used to bring glory to the God of heaven!