December 28 – Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding

“Daniel said, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.” – Daniel 2:20-21 (NASB)

As we continue seeking and finding promises from God in each book of the Bible, we come to Daniel. Daniel was one of the young men who were taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. One night the king of Babylon had a disturbing dream he couldn’t remember. His own council of wise men failed to tell him the dream or its meaning. Daniel was called upon for the task. God revealed to Daniel both the king’s dream and its meaning. Daniel didn’t claim any credit for he believed in God in heaven could reveal this mystery (Daniel 2:28). We find a promise for all and all time in these words by Daniel to the king. God is absolutely sovereign over all people and all things. We sometimes hear “times have changed” as an excuse for our thought and behavior.  Yes times change but God never changes nor does His Word. When times change it is God who allows them to be changed or changes them. All wisdom, knowledge, and understanding comes from our Lord God. God removes and sets up the world leaders, even those who despise God. Nothing that is has ever surprised God.

 

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March 7 – In His Hands

“But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands;” Psalm 31:14-15a (NIV) 

If we are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we find it very helpful to express our faith in God often. Our verse for today is a very personal expression of faith and that is the kind of faith that pleases the Lord. Our God is the creator of the universe and He is in control of all the many things which are around us. However He never loses sight of the details of our individual lives. He wants us to have a personal relationship with Him and to acknowledge Him as personally involved in our lives. The psalmist thought of God that way. He looked to God to control the details of each hour and each minute – the details of each experience. He trusted in the Lord; he acknowledged Him as his God; he recognized that he was in God's hands.  We can do the same. We can each day, and often each day, think of the words of our verse and know that our times are in His hands.