And Those Who Walk in Pride He is Able to Humble

08/30/2011

I don't know why but I've really been enjoying Daniel right now. I don't even know how I began to read it, but it is so good.

Daniel Chapter 4

King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream about a tree and a holy messenger coming to tell him to cut down the mighty tree but leave the stump and the roots then live with the wild animals and be drenched with holy dew... (that is definitely the short version of his dream...) After that the King called upon people to interpret his dream for him and he believed Daniel could do it because he has the holy god in him, so Daniel interprets his dream. He says that King Neb is the tree, that he is going to be cut down from royalty, since he has become too prideful in himself and has become to great and strong. He will be driven away to live with the wild animals and will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the holy dew of heaven. With the stump and roots still there, his kingdom will be restored when he acknowledges that Heaven rules.

Daniel's interpretation came true. His royal authority was taken and he was driven from his people, he lived with the wild animals and ate grass like cattle. After some time, Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:34-35) "raised his eyes toward heaven, and his sanity was restored. Then he praised the Most High; He honored and glorified him who lives forever.

His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: 'What have you done?'"

And then it goes on to say- (Daniel 4:36-37)

"At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. No 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."

Let me say that again...
Daniel 4: 37 - "AND THOSE WHO WALK IN PRIDE HE IS ABLE TO HUMBLE."


I believe that this story has a lot to do with dying to yourself and living in God. Like, cutting down everything that you have built up and leaving the "stump" or the foundation that God has created for you. That way when you raise your eyes toward heaven, he can rebuild everything in a more glorious way, a way that you can honor Him and serve Him. He will give you beauty, everlasting life, grace, love. So much LOVE. :-) He will give you an abundance of well, everything! He will pour out his visions and his love. Your life will have meaning (not that it doesn't already, but you will KNOW it has meaning, you will FEEL that it has meaning, instead of walking around confused and feeling worthless).

And as I was praying, I got an image of this:

God looks down from heaven at us and says "What are you DOING? I'm right here, waiting for you to let me take your burdens for you. All the weight that is on your shoulders, that slows you down- that's mine. The chains that keep you from running toward me- I'm waiting for you to give up and let me break them off. I own the key to your heart- I'm just waiting for you to let me break through the walls surrounding, blocking my chances to brighten your grey heart.

I hope that makes sense :-) It was tough to put words in for what I pictured! I also got this on Friday night at my church's all-night prayer. It's a couple verses from Jeremiah..

Jeremiah 18:1-4"This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 'Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message.' So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.'"

I love those verses. If you don't know what marred means (because I didn't!), it means disfigured. Which is what we are before God's hand touches our life. We are a big blob of clay and once we give everything to him, he begins to shape us and smooth us to make us something beautiful. He fixes us and creates something glorious out of something so ugly.

I don't even know if this all somehow flowed together? Ha ha. But I hope you got something out of it!!