September 7

Today's story about king Nebuchadnezzar is wild, much like his actual fate. It's a great reminder of the extent to which God will go in our lives to bring us to Himself.

1. Nebuchadnezzar's self-centered life

Nebuchadnezzar lived a life for himself. He was good and he knew it. He became the most powerful man of his time. He was a great ruler. He was very rich and powerful. He was also extremely proud. He looked at his treasures and said:

"...as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" (Dan 4:28-30)

But God used King Nebuchadnezzar's life to achieve His purposes and at the same worked in Nebuchadnezzar's life to reveal Himself to him. God's prophet Daniel interpreted the king's dreams. The king witnessed God saving Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the fiery furnace. You would think that when a man sees a miracle of people walking out of a burning pot accompanied by an angel he would believe in God and surrender to Him. But Nebuchadnezzar did not. For the time being he continued his prideful life. It seems that our ability to see God's miraculous power is lessened in proportion by the amount of our pride.

2. God drives me crazy sometimes - in the healthiest of ways and for my own good.

God would do the necessary to bring us close to Him even if that means that He needs to rock our boat. He teaches us, pushes us out of our comforts, humbles us, brings us down to subdue our pride in order that we would look up and be lifted to Him. For Nebuchadnezzar, God literally had to cause him to go mad: for this powerful man it took losing his sanity in order to be humbled. Only then he looked up and proclaimed that God is the only true god: "Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever." (Dan 4:34)

Sometimes God really needs to shake us up in order for us to wake up and see Him.

3. God is after every sinner.

Have you ever caught yourself thinking or feeling: "I am beyond saving" or "This person is beyond saving?" Very dangerous thinking. I sometimes lose hope for people in my life who don’t know Christ. But this story in the Bible of Nebuchadnezzar is a prime example of God turning a great sinner to Him. Furthermore, God gracefully restored Nebuchadnezzar's honor and riches. We can never fully know someone else's story with God, but just to accept and follow our part in it as God has called us. After all, every one of us is that great sinner.

"Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble." (Dan 4:37)

One final note of tribute to the lives of Ezekiel and Jeremiah as we finish today studying about their prophecies. I was very encouraged by these two men. They did not seem to have glorious lives, not even comfortable ones. But they served God faithfully as he appointed their ministries and God was glorified through their lives. Their heritage must be amazing; it includes us today being encouraged in our faith by learning their life's stories.

What is God doing in your day today?

Happy Labor Day!