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"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" (Daniel 4:37).
Nebuchadnezzar was the very proud King of Babylon who took God's people captive about 600 BC. In Daniel 3 he demanded worship of his golden idol and of course that led to the courageous stand of Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah* who resisted the king's demands. Daniel 4 records his humbling at the hand of God as well as his eventual restoration.
Nebuchadnezzar experienced firsthand the power of God, who is "able to humble." These are the final words recorded in Scripture of his testimony following his restoration. I have often wondered if he remained humble up to the point of death and whether we will meet him in heaven. In the very next chapter we find his son Belshazzar on the throne who struggled with a similar pride problem!
Nebuchadnezzar's life illustrates a principle expressed in the life of an earlier king of Judah, "But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall" (2 Chronicles 26:16). History is littered with the lives of the powerful who have been forcibly humbled. Sometimes this humbling is a very specific event one has during his lifetime such as Nebuchadnezzar experienced. Other times it comes at one's death such as Herod experienced which is recorded in Acts 12:20-23. Either way God remains "able to humble."
Let's examine our own lives today for regular spiritual examination which is vitally important for our Christian maturity. Let us seek to be both a recipient and dispenser of God's grace. The Apostles, James and Peter, quote a Proverb that teaches an important truth about God's attitude toward His creation, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." May we humble ourselves before God today and receive the wonderful grace that is promised!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily Prayer: Father, we want to clothe ourselves with humility toward one another since You oppose the proud but give grace to the humble. We humble ourselves, therefore, under Your mighty hand, that You may lift us up in due time. We resist the devil's proud and evil influence as we stand strong, firm and steadfast in the principles set forth in the Scriptures.
* Their Hebrew given names that I prefer to use. Nebuchadnezzar renamed them Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, which is how we normally know them. See Daniel 1:6,7
(Click
on the link to open and play. In some cases you may also need to click
again to start the song.)
"Humble Thyself In The Sight Of The Lord" Video The Maranatha Singers - This is a wonderful song based on the Scripture that we often sang in our earlier years.
"Humble Yourself" Video Kelly Willard
Today's
close-up photo of the squirrel was taken by our prolific photo friend
Doris High. She recently shared an interesting perspective on marital love that is fitting as we approach Valentines Day.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Many of us who feed the birds also end up feeding the squirrels, whether we like it or not! Doris High managed to take this close-up.
Many of us who feed the birds also end up feeding the squirrels, whether we like it or not! Doris High managed to take this close-up.
Listen to
us share this message on your
audio player."Able To Humble"
"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" (Daniel 4:37).
Nebuchadnezzar was the very proud King of Babylon who took God's people captive about 600 BC. In Daniel 3 he demanded worship of his golden idol and of course that led to the courageous stand of Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah* who resisted the king's demands. Daniel 4 records his humbling at the hand of God as well as his eventual restoration.
Nebuchadnezzar experienced firsthand the power of God, who is "able to humble." These are the final words recorded in Scripture of his testimony following his restoration. I have often wondered if he remained humble up to the point of death and whether we will meet him in heaven. In the very next chapter we find his son Belshazzar on the throne who struggled with a similar pride problem!
Nebuchadnezzar's life illustrates a principle expressed in the life of an earlier king of Judah, "But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall" (2 Chronicles 26:16). History is littered with the lives of the powerful who have been forcibly humbled. Sometimes this humbling is a very specific event one has during his lifetime such as Nebuchadnezzar experienced. Other times it comes at one's death such as Herod experienced which is recorded in Acts 12:20-23. Either way God remains "able to humble."
Let's examine our own lives today for regular spiritual examination which is vitally important for our Christian maturity. Let us seek to be both a recipient and dispenser of God's grace. The Apostles, James and Peter, quote a Proverb that teaches an important truth about God's attitude toward His creation, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." May we humble ourselves before God today and receive the wonderful grace that is promised!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily Prayer: Father, we want to clothe ourselves with humility toward one another since You oppose the proud but give grace to the humble. We humble ourselves, therefore, under Your mighty hand, that You may lift us up in due time. We resist the devil's proud and evil influence as we stand strong, firm and steadfast in the principles set forth in the Scriptures.
See I Peter 5:5b-7 for adapted prayer
* Their Hebrew given names that I prefer to use. Nebuchadnezzar renamed them Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, which is how we normally know them. See Daniel 1:6,7
Today's
Suggested Music
and
Supplemental Resources
"Humble Thyself In The Sight Of The Lord" Video The Maranatha Singers - This is a wonderful song based on the Scripture that we often sang in our earlier years.
"Humble Yourself" Video Kelly Willard
Today's
close-up photo of the squirrel was taken by our prolific photo friend
Doris High. She recently shared an interesting perspective on marital love that is fitting as we approach Valentines Day.Send
a message to Stephen &
Brooksyne.
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