Day Two: Daniel 3-4

Bula! ( that means hello in Fijian)
I hope that your day was as productive as mine turned out to be! It was a great day and here I am, day two in Daniel 3 and 4.

Daniel 3--one of my favorite stories of the Bible. I actually did not ever hear of the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednago until last summer while reading the Bible on my own. So this was a nice refresher of where I was last year Biblically. It's a story of true trust in the Lord and His promises. I really love how they change the king's heart and beliefs and even the beliefs of the people by the end of chapter 3! Verse 26-27 are amazing, when he comes to the furnace and sees four men inside, an angel protecting the three men who stood up for their God and refused to worship a fake idol. Verse 28-29 reads, "Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednago, who has sent his angel and rescued this servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednago be cut into pieces and their houses turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way." A total change of belief and in total amazement, the king spoke that over the crowd witnessing this miracle. My text says the king issued the furnace to be seven times hotter than usual just to be sure the men would die inside. It also says the men who threw them in the furnace died from the heat. God preserved the men and changed people that day. Not to mention, He also gave these men a true affirmation that He is real and could work in their lives if they just believed. What a powerful testimony to have of being rescued from a furnace! Wow! The king seems to still have anger issues with saying, "if you don't do this, your home will be rubble!" lol but God was still working in him.


Daniel 4--God comes to king Neb. again in a dream and it troubles him again. Rather than seeking the interpretation from the sorcerers, and so forth as before, he goes straight to Daniel. Daniel interprets the dream and it was telling king Neb. to really listen to God and to renounce his sins and turn to God. King Neb. hears from God the same words that Daniel had spoken, leaves his people and lives in the woods for a long time, gaining sanity back. Verses 36-37 are wonderful it reads, "At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now, I Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King od heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble." I really enjoyed reading that because it is such a great testimony of how God changed his heart and transformed his way of thinking. It is so well worded and easily describes how that transformed mind happens when you decide that God is your everything and when you realize all that He is and can do. The Christian life is not easy, but God makes it the best path possible, every time, all the time.




Summary:
I learned to be diligent and unshakable when it comes to trusting in and holding true to my God. No matter the circumstance. Even in a furnace. Also that God can do so much, and is so much, that it's just time to trust Him and His perfect plan. Also, a great reminder of all that God has shaped and transformed in my life in the past two years. He has shown me and taught me so much of who He is in college, it is crazy. Thank you Lord for your greatness, faithfulness and for being the One True God! Amen!