Read: Daniel 2:1-16
The thing that the king asks is difficult. (v. 11)
Not long after Daniel completed his training, he faced a dire situation. The Babylonian king made a “difficult” (that is, impossible) demand. If Nebuchadnezzar’s advisors failed to report the king’s forgotten dream, he would execute all of them—Daniel included. Daniel’s colleagues panicked. After all, no one on earth could do what the king asked.
We live in a society in which every new problem or crisis feels dire. How we respond says a lot about our values. We can wring our hands at the deplorable state of the world. We can take to social media and complain about how hard life is. We can, in a word, panic. But when we do, we are no different than our unbelieving peers.
How did Daniel react to what appeared to be nothing short of a death sentence? He “replied with prudence and discretion” (v. 14). Daniel didn’t panic, because his God is the God who parted the waters of the Red Sea. Daniel’s God is the God who makes the impossible possible.
Daniel’s God is our God too. So when you feel as though you are facing insurmountable odds, when what the world demands is difficult, when you are confronted with the next impossible problem, try responding not with panic, but with “prudence and discretion.” Not with fear, but with faith. Trust God to make a way. Your prudence and discretion will be a powerful witness to the God who makes the impossible possible.
As you pray, remember that to God, your problems are not impossible.
About the Author
Ben Van Arragon is the Minister of Worship and Leadership at Plymouth Heights Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He preaches and teaches the Bible in church, online, and anywhere else he has the opportunity.
