I have a rejuvenated love for the Old Testament. So much wisdom, so much truth, so much inspiration is
found within these pages from long, long ago. A time when creation was set in motion, wars were
waged and God Almighty Himself would show up in a burning bush, a cloud by day, a pillar of fire by
night or a mighty rushing wind! To read about the lives of people that God used to draw the lines that
when intertwined would create an ultimate plan of redemption is truly a gift!
Daniel is one of those people that fascinate me. He led an extraordinary life of unwavering faith in His
God! In Daniel 2 we read a story of a king that not only wants his dreams to be interpreted; he also
wants the wise men of his kingdom to be so insightful that they can tell him what the actual dream was
in the first place. He refused to tell them the dream because if they were truly wise men they should
already know the dream. He then decides that if they cannot do this, he will have them put to death in a
very gruesome manner. Long story short, Daniel pleads with the king to give him some time to figure
this one out. He then goes home, tells his friends and they get on their knees to pray. God reveals the
dream itself to Daniel AND its meaning. When God answered, Daniel worshipped:
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are His.
21
He changes times and seasons;
He deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
22
He reveals deep and hidden things;
He knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with Him.
23
I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors:
You have given me wisdom and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
you have made known to us the dream of the king.”-Daniel 2:20b - 23
Daniel’s eyes were opened to the truth. He had an awakening experience and has God to thank; not only
for giving him this knowledge but also for saving his life and the lives of all the other “wise men” in the
kingdom. Daniel knew that the only One that could unravel this mystery was the creator of the dream
itself. Before he took the information to King Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel stopped to worship the King of
Kings! What a picture!
Daniel’s moment of worship spoke to me in ways that I cannot possibly fully explain. You see, I am in a
season of change in my life. My first born son, Caleb, just left for college in August. My youngest son,
Jacob, is a junior in High School. I am encouraging my boys to take flight on their own now, leaving my
nest a bit empty these days and completely empty in less than two years. Every day I find myself asking
my sweet heavenly Father to interpret for me what the rest of my life will look like. I wish I could tell you
that I have gotten an immediate answer to my questions like Daniel did. Instead God has simply asked
me to trust.
I have chosen to worship Him despite the fog that is covering the landscape of my life at the moment. I
have given myself to worshipping the creator of the seasons in my life. Why? Because no matter how
hard we try to hang on to our kids, no matter how many times we color the gray hair away, no matter
how much I wish my hormones would just cooperate so that these 40 something year old hips would
shrink…the seasons and changes that accompany them will still come. They are part of what it is to be
human, unique and beautiful! The one thing we do have control over is how we choose to handle the
changing seasons. I choose to worship.
I love that Daniel worshipped BEFORE he took the news back to the king. For him it was more about the
intimate experience between him and His God than what was going outside that moment. He was
communing with his Father in season and out of season. Good or bad, Daniel worshipped. Prison, lion’s
den, angry kings or lap of luxury he worshipped.
This season of life will pass and I will begin to walk out the next season of my life. My prayer is that I will
take a page out of Daniel’s play book and be constant in my prayers, sensitive to God’s voice and quick
to worship even when my life seemingly hangs in the balance. That is my challenge for you today; awake
and be quick to worship!
I worship Him praying:
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are His.
He changes the seasons of my life;
He keeps things from my grasp and others He places firmly within the palm of my hand.
He gives wisdom when I seek it
and discernment when I need it. He reveals deep and hidden things, surprising me every day;
He knows what lies in my future, the future of my children
and I will trust that the light that dwells with Him will fall upon my life and their lives today.
I thank and praise you, my God!
You have given me wisdom and power,
nothing can overtake me as long as I look squarely upon your face,
I do not know what the next season of life contains but I will worship you anyway. I will worship you in
spite of and because of what is on the coming horizon of my life.”
Action Step: Make Daniel’s prayer of worship in Daniel 2:20-23 your own. Write it down and claim it.
Whatever season of life you are in, awake and worship Him!