Appoint a Time

Daily Reading: Daniel 2

And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king. (Daniel 2.16)

Devotional Thought: King Nebuchadnezzar had a terrible nightmare.  What did it mean?  He called in his wise men to interpret the dream.  There was a catch, however.  He was not going to tell them the dream.  They had to tell him the dream and then reveal its meaning.  When they couldn’t do it, Nebuchadnezzar decided to kill all the wise men in the kingdom, including Daniel!  Daniel went into action, requesting an appointment with the king, to be given a chance to interpret the dream.  And this was before God had revealed the dream and interpretation to him!  That’s confidence, isn’t it?

Daniel would not base his confidence on his own skill or knowledge.  He went to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and asked them to pray.  God gave Daniel a vision during the night.  While the wise men had told the king, "The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh” (v. 11), confidently Daniel proclaimed, “There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries” (v. 28).

Jesus told his disciples: "You will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matthew 10.18-20).

Daniel was confident to speak on behalf of the Lord.  Are you?

Prayer: Lord, would you appoint a time for me to speak, for me to testify of your goodness and grace?  And when you do, help me to speak with confidence.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 66.8-15

8 Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard,

9 who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip.

10 For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.

11 You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs;

12 you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

13 I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I will perform my vows to you,

14 that which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.

15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals, with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams; I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah