Soul security

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Daniel 7, 8, 9

Daniel 2:19b-23 (NIV)

Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20 and said, “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are His. 21 He changes times and seasons; He sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22 He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells in Him. 23 I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.”

Good morning!

There are times when being a visionary is like living in a nightmare. Have you ever tried to see the good in a pitiful set of circumstances? Have you ever clung to the hope that there will be a better day, even when there is no concrete evidence to support your thesis? Are you an eternal optimist, much to the dismay of those around you?

Daniel was a true visionary. He, along with thousands others, found themselves held in captivity in Babylon. He was surrounded by the pagan belief system of the Babylonian empire, serving their kings for sixty years. This would have been more than enough to discourage even the most positive person. Still, Daniel refused to live in fear and despair. He knew, without a doubt, despite any circumstance or situation, God was holy and faithful. His plan for salvation would work itself out in God’s timing and in God’s way. Daniel trusted in the “soul security” of Almighty God.

Soul security is a gift of God and this comforts me every day. Like a revolving bank card with unlimited resources, I can draw from the Lord’s savings account and immediately receive His peace that passes all understanding, even when life seems hopeless. God’s reservoir of love never dries up or runs out when you claim His sovereignty over your life. Admitting that God is sovereign means that you are willing to let go of your desire to control the outcome. Trusting God’s sovereignty is surrendering your free will to the will of the Father, not just in some things, but in all things. We can learn a lot from the faithfulness of Daniel. He refused to dwell in the present. He was forward thinking, always hopeful, and willing to allow the Lord to reveal His bigger picture to him.

Daniel was a dreamer. Many of the dreams I have had throughout my life I cannot recall in full. So many of them made so little sense, and what I remember most are the scariest parts. Daniel’s dreams were like living nightmares. God revealed glimpses of great mysteries and the “distant future” to Daniel and he was willing to listen, see and write what he saw. Daniel praised God for the gift of vision. He said, “[God] reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him. I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers; you have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.”

Would you be willing to dream the dreams of Daniel? How much faith does it take to see beyond the pain and suffering of a world that continues to struggle? We experience the ravages of disease, and suffering every day. We only need to walk as far as a hospital emergency room to see someone suffering extreme pain. We encounter the ravages of natural disasters – earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, floods, drought, extreme temperatures, and global warming. The fish in the sea, birds of the air, our livestock and even human beings die from exposure to these elements. Daniel’s world was not any different from ours. He saw how the human condition manifested itself in the hearts of a pagan world. In the visions, he saw God’s plan revealed. Absolutely nothing shook Daniel’s faith. He knew Almighty God would win the day. The battle for souls would be won. Daniel saw the plan of salvation revealed and he clung to faith in God alone.

There is soul security waiting for you at the foot of the cross today. Open your heart to God’s sovereignty in the redemptive love of Jesus Christ. If you will just let go long enough to grab onto to the hand of the Lord, He will fill you with insurmountable hope, no matter who you are or what your life’s circumstance may be.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: a little soul security to carry you through life’s circumstances. You can be a visionary too, just like Daniel. Are you willing to place your total trust in the sovereignty of God?

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© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding

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