Scripture:
Daniel 4:19-23
Tue, 16 May 2023

We Are First God’s Servants (2)

Observation:

What significant observations can you make about Daniel?

Deeper Reflection
Serving Nebuchadnezzar, first as a servant of God, Daniel served as answering God’s calling for him and with commitment to the king, whether he was being looked for or overlooked.Daniel served the king with concern. Nebuchadnezzar told Daniel about his dream, and by divine revelation (cf. Dan 2:27-30), Daniel immediately knew the interpretation of the dream. And his immediate reaction was he was “appalled” and Nebuchadnezzar could see through his facial expression that he was “alarmed” (v.19a). Then, Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that he wished that the dream applies to the king’s adversaries and those who hated him, and not to him (v.19b). It would be natural, reasonable and fair, for Daniel to rejoice and celebrate that the dream applies to Nebuchadnezzar, that he deserved it, because he had destroyed his homeland and deported his people. He did not. Daniel was practising in Old Testament style “Love you enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt 5:44).34 It is likely that Daniel knew about Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles, instructing them to “seek the welfare of the city [Babylon]…pray to the LORD on its behalf ” (Jer 29:1, 7a). What a strange divine design: “In its welfare you will have welfare” (Jer 29:7b)! And being a man of prayer (Dan 2:17-18; 6:10), we can be certain that Daniel prayed for Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon regularly.Daniel served the king with courage – “prophetic courage”35 – and interpreted the dream faithfully and truly to the world’s most powerful man: “It is you, O king…” (v.22). Daniel risked losing his head. But he was secure in God.
34 Christopher J. H. Wright, Hearing the Message of Daniel: Sustaining Faith in Today’s World (Zondervan, 2017), 97 35 Christopher J. H. Wright, 99
Application:

What is my attitude toward people who have hurt me?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for pastors and staff: To grow to be wounded healers in the Lord
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self
 

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Daily Devo
Daily Devotional Journal
Scripture:
Daniel 6:1-10
Wed, 7 June 2023

Consistent Daily Devotion to God

Observation:

What does verse 10 tell us about Daniel?

Deeper Reflection
For Daniel’s distinguishing competency and character, and commitment to ensuring that the king suffered no loss in his empire, Darius “planned to appoint” him “over the entire kingdom” (v.3). But out of jealousy, Daniel’s fellow-commissioners and the satraps attempted to accuse him of “negligence or corruption” in “government affairs” (v.4a). They could find nothing, because Daniel was “faithful” (v.4b). So, they planned to make accusation against him “with regard to the law of his God” (v.5). And they maliciously instigated Darius to establish a law that “anyone who makes a petition to any god or man” besides the king “for thirty days, shall be cast into the lion’s den” (vv.6-9).Then, “when Daniel knew that the document was signed…he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously” (v.10). This was Daniel’s spiritual discipline with a structure of regular “three times a day”. He kept it daily. We can say that Daniel never missed his quiet time. The most important words in the verse may be “when Daniel knew that the document was signed”. They indicate the context of Daniel’s spiritual discipline: A discipleship challenge where his life was at stake. Daniel’s spiritual discipline was no mere religious ritual and routine. He could have skipped his quiet time “for thirty days” and be safe. He didn’t. Daniel’s spiritual discipline manifested his consistent daily devotion to “his God”: “he continued…three times a day…as he had been doing previously.” At the heart of this spiritual discipline was Daniel’s relationship and fellowship with “his God”.
Application:

How can I cultivate a consistent daily devotion to God?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for leaders
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for the Generations: That young people will seek to be devoted to God consistently
  • Pray for self
 

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