God is in control – Page 2

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”

1 Chronicles 22:1-19 – The Temple

Read 1 Chronicles 22:1-19

Turns out the threshing floor location David purchased for his sacrifice in our last reading will become the eventual building site for the temple. Isn’t it great to see how God works behind the scenes to make things happen? God can and will use our mistakes, brokenness, and sinful decisions for good, turning them into something beautiful.

With this chapter, we are beginning the wind down of David’s reign as he prepares his successor, son Solomon. The material in this closing section of 1 Chronicles is unique to this book. We don’t have any parallel story lines from other Biblical passages. Today we see how David aids Solomon for what God will be doing in his life. Isn’t that what any good father would do, prepare their child for the future?

Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 – What is Certain?

Read Ecclesiastes 11:1-6

Rather than focusing on uncertainty, Solomon gives us some examples we can count on. Some of these certainties point to action steps, like planting or harvesting. Yet others are great advice, like the wisdom on diversifying your portfolio of investments or to stop waiting for the “perfect” time to do something.

What certainties do you see as you look around you? We all have the certainty of a sunrise and sunset each day–unless you live somewhere in the world (like northern Norway, for example) where it’s always dark or light at certain times of the year. You can believe it’s “certain” that if we don’t go to work, we won’t get a paycheck.

Ecclesiastes 4:1-6 – Oppression

Read Ecclesiastes 4:1-6

Are you feeling oppressed today? Oppression is defined by Oxford Languages as “prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control.” Solomon was observing such behaviors in his day, too. As king, you would think he could have some control over how his subjects were being treated. The powers of evil were clearly at work then, as well as now.

It’s not pleasant to endure hardship, whether it’s oppression or otherwise. To believe we’d be better off dead is a bit “dark” don’t you think? It helps to remember that Solomon had drifted away from God and was relying on the gods of his many wives late in life. For those living on their own, hardship and oppression must be unbearable.

Nehemiah 6:15-19 – It’s Done!

Read Nehemiah 6:15-19

The wall is completed. It only took fifty-two days. That’s not even two months! Granted, there were many people working on that huge project, but I’m amazed at the short duration of time it took. I don’t imagine there were any cranes or bulldozers around to help move away the debris. Construction sites would have looked a lot different back then.

One of my favorite lines in this reading is about what the enemy’s thought about this great feat. Nehemiah said, “They realized this work had been done with the help of our God.” I feel like going into my storage boxes to find my cheerleading pom poms! It’s always a victory when people who don’t belong to our family of believers (yet) recognize God’s hand at work and give him the credit. It doesn’t happen much these days.