It struck me this morning, that Daniel is a study in worship. Perhaps I should say, a call to worship. King Nebuchadnezzar's call to worship is documented here. King Neb witnesses Daniel and his three companions repeatedly choose to worship and obey God, even in the face of death. God's hand, His mighty power, is revealed time and again as He reveals dreams and their meanings, spares the lives of His followers and blesses his followers with physical health. King Neb even acknowledges the mighty hand of God stating that there is no other god capable of doing what the God of Daniel and the three, can do.
In spite of this acknowledgment, King Neb does not recognize God as being the One he needs to worship. In Daniel 4, God sends Nebuchadnezzar a dream, the interpretation of which scares Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar is told that he will be brought low and caused to dwell among the animals. Daniel suggests that he turns from his sins and does righteous deeds and shows mercy to the poor so that perhaps his prosperity can be extended. The king, however, chooses to continue in his ways.
He likes to look on himself as the architect of his success. He is, in his opinion, a self made man. Yet God, who made him the power that he is, Who permitted him to take Israel into captivity, Jeremiah 25:8, "Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Because you have not obeyed My words, behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,' declares the LORD, 'and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar king of Bablyon," is determined that King Nebuchadnezzar will worship him.
God takes everything from him, his sovereignty, his sanity even to a great extent his humanity. Nebuchadnezzar is driven away from society and becomes like an animal of the field and feeds on grass. It is in this condition that Nebuchadnezzar recognizes God and looks to the heavens and praises God.
It struck me that so often I pray, 'God please do such and such so that Your name may be glorified'. It's as though my mindset is, God show Yourself and I will praise you. While we legitimately praise God for the things He does, if the only time we praise Him is when He does great things on our behalf we are not praising Him as He wants us to. Nebuchadnezzar praised God while he was in the field feeding on grass. While all he had ever had was taken from him.
God wants me to praise Him for who He is. He wants my praise even if I feel I have lost everything including my sanity. My praise should never be dependent on what God has done for me. My praise should always be because of who God is. If that is the source of my praise, I will always be able to praise Him for that never changes.
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