While talking on the phone yesterday I remembered a story in the bible about King Nebuchadnezzar and the dream he had of being sent to live with the wild animals. When Daniel was telling him what was going to happen his advice to him was this, "So, king, take my advice: Make a clean break with your sins and start living for others. Quit your wicked life and look after the needs of the down and out. Then you will continue to have a good life."
The king did not take Daniel's advice, so twelve months later his kingdom was taken from him. He was driven out of his kingdom to eat grass like an ox, and he did this long enough to learn that the High God rules ALL. It was seven years!!
At the end of seven years the king was back in his kingdom, this is what he prayed to God:
"His Sovereign rule lasts and lasts, his kingdom never declines and falls,
Life on this earth doesn't add up to much, but God's heavenly army keeps everything going.
No one can interrupt his work, no one can call his rule into question."
He went on to say,
"Everything he does is right, and he does it the right way.
He knows how to turn a proud person into a humble man or woman."
Yeah, I think if I had to eat with the ox for seven years that would be very humbling. Nebuchadnezzar felt like he had lost his brain for seven years. Then, after that time, God gave it back to him. I'm thinking when he received it back there was a joyful realization that having his brain was a great gift! That was a long lapse of time to be without it.
This morning, as I read this story about the king, and talked to God, I wondered about the brain lapses in my life and what God is trying to tell me. He led me to Psalms 22, a chapter he has often taken me to. In Psalms 22 it starts out by asking God why He has forsaken me?
"God, God...my God! Why did you dump me miles from nowhere?
Doubled up with pain, I call to God all the day long. No answer. Nothing
I keep at it all night, tossing and turning."
A little further down this stands out:
"Everyone pokes fun at me: they make faces at me, they shake their heads:
'lets see how God handles this one; since God likes him so much let him help him!'"
And then,
"You, God--don't put off my rescue! Hurry and help me!" and the very last sentence in the chapter, "God does what he says."
I picture king Neb feeling just like this while out there eating with ox, having his brain lapse. And, there are days, I feel the same way. God has made promises to me that I am very sure of, yet when I look at my life circumstances those promises do not look possible. So, I begin to doubt and question and feel like I'm having a brain lapse. I need to be rescued from the current situation, and be placed back in my kingdom! But, that is not His will for me right now, His will is to further His Kingdom, which has always been my prayer.
So, Jesus, Say That Again to me, when I am in the middle of a brain lapse, hold me. Keep me secure in Your Kingdom and use me to further Your love and Your Purpose.
The king did not take Daniel's advice, so twelve months later his kingdom was taken from him. He was driven out of his kingdom to eat grass like an ox, and he did this long enough to learn that the High God rules ALL. It was seven years!!
At the end of seven years the king was back in his kingdom, this is what he prayed to God:
"His Sovereign rule lasts and lasts, his kingdom never declines and falls,
Life on this earth doesn't add up to much, but God's heavenly army keeps everything going.
No one can interrupt his work, no one can call his rule into question."
He went on to say,
"Everything he does is right, and he does it the right way.
He knows how to turn a proud person into a humble man or woman."
Yeah, I think if I had to eat with the ox for seven years that would be very humbling. Nebuchadnezzar felt like he had lost his brain for seven years. Then, after that time, God gave it back to him. I'm thinking when he received it back there was a joyful realization that having his brain was a great gift! That was a long lapse of time to be without it.
This morning, as I read this story about the king, and talked to God, I wondered about the brain lapses in my life and what God is trying to tell me. He led me to Psalms 22, a chapter he has often taken me to. In Psalms 22 it starts out by asking God why He has forsaken me?
"God, God...my God! Why did you dump me miles from nowhere?
Doubled up with pain, I call to God all the day long. No answer. Nothing
I keep at it all night, tossing and turning."
A little further down this stands out:
"Everyone pokes fun at me: they make faces at me, they shake their heads:
'lets see how God handles this one; since God likes him so much let him help him!'"
And then,
"You, God--don't put off my rescue! Hurry and help me!" and the very last sentence in the chapter, "God does what he says."
I picture king Neb feeling just like this while out there eating with ox, having his brain lapse. And, there are days, I feel the same way. God has made promises to me that I am very sure of, yet when I look at my life circumstances those promises do not look possible. So, I begin to doubt and question and feel like I'm having a brain lapse. I need to be rescued from the current situation, and be placed back in my kingdom! But, that is not His will for me right now, His will is to further His Kingdom, which has always been my prayer.
So, Jesus, Say That Again to me, when I am in the middle of a brain lapse, hold me. Keep me secure in Your Kingdom and use me to further Your love and Your Purpose.
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