TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. (Daniel 2:19-21)
When the nation of Judah was taken into exile by the Babylonian Empire, it seemed that all hope was lost. Blessed by the Lord, however, the Jews quickly rose in power and influence in their new land. One of the Jews named Daniel became a high-ranking wise man in the Babylonian and Persian empires. This faithful servant of God was rewarded and delivered, sometimes in miraculous ways. Daniel blessed and served others, from pagan kings to common laborers, and his prophetic visions concerning Israel’s future are amazing in their scope and accuracy. We still use them today to help interpret the New Testament book of the end-times, Revelation.
In our scripture passage for today Daniel reminds us that the source of all true wisdom, vision, and power does not reside in any human, but in the Lord, Almighty. Why then do we so frequently rely upon our own mortal ingenuity and creativity to live life and make decisions? As you read these verses today, abandon all confidence in yourself. Trust in God alone!