God is in control – Be Still…

Psalm 103 – Praise the Lord!

Read Psalm 103

Praise the Lord! What an uplifting tribute to God’s majesty, provision, and love. If ever you find yourself at a loss of words in prayer, lean into this truth of who God is. When we remember and call out God’s goodness, more and more examples just flood out of us. God loves to hear our praise.

The psalmist cries out, “Let all that I am praise the Lord.” That some sincere devotion. How many of us have ever been that “all-in” for God in our lives? We tell ourselves we have responsibilities, tasks, people counting on us, jobs, only 24 hours in a day. Yes, we have those things. But are they more important than God? Continue reading “Psalm 103 – Praise the Lord!”

Job 12:1-25 – God is in Control

Read Job 12:1-25

Their words may scoff and bite, but I haven’t heard any laughter myself. But Job calls it out when he says, “yet my friends laugh at me.” If there was some laughter, it would not have been the funny, “that’s a good joke” kind of laughter. It would have been mocking, smirking, disgusted kind of laughter.

Job does a great job of recovering from the blows of his friends. He didn’t have a far fall after he was already so low because of his great loss. Still, Job is thoughtful in his responses even if we can see his agony shining through. Continue reading “Job 12:1-25 – God is in Control”

Ezekiel 17:1-24 – A Riddle from God

Read Ezekiel 17:1-24

This reading contains a riddle combined with a parable. Without reading the explanation, I imagined a totally different meaning. So let’s reflect on the riddle and explanation together. Most of us like a good puzzle, but we all should take heed to the LORD’s message.

The Sovereign LORD wanted Israel to understand what was happening and uses this creative approach. The manner in which plants and animals interact as if they are human is entertaining and attention grabbing to be sure. The parable describes the events between when King Jehoiachin was taken into exile (597 BC), and the year Zedekiah revolted against Babylon, trusting in Egypt’s promise of help (588 BC). Continue reading “Ezekiel 17:1-24 – A Riddle from God”

Daniel 11:21-45 – When Time Runs Out

Read Daniel 11:21-45

Daniel’s vision continues here, but the end is still to come. However, for the tyrant king being described by the angel messenger, his time runs out. God will only allow the atrocities he brings for a given period of time.

The description of this despicable human fits historically with the Syrian king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes. He brought much disgrace and evil to God’s remnant people who had returned to Jerusalem after the exile. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah have told us all about the return from captivity. Daniel would have been left behind when those waves of people returned home. Continue reading “Daniel 11:21-45 – When Time Runs Out”

Daniel 1:1-7 – Setting the Stage

Read Daniel 1:1-7

The Book of Daniel will introduce us to the prophet, Daniel, who was living in Babylon during the exile. In the second half of the book, Daniel shares interesting dreams and visions for us to ponder, ultimately giving us confidence that God is in control. Daniel’s life displays how we can live a godly life in a sinful world. We’ll encounter themes of perseverance, finding purpose in life, and God’s faithfulness.

In our first reading, Daniel is setting the stage. We can pinpoint his place in history having been taken into exile when King Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem for the first time. We know from other texts that Judah’s king, Jehoiakim, was also taken captive. But Daniel’s focus will be on his own journey in a foreign land. Continue reading “Daniel 1:1-7 – Setting the Stage”