I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me. So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me. When the magicians, enchanters, astrologersand diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me. Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.) Daniel 4:4-9 (NIV).
The pagan king is dreaming again. Like before, Nebuchadnezzar’s Chaldean soothsayers can’t tell him what it means. So, he calls in Daniel, who has a record for decoding these things because Daniel relies on the Most High God. It’s sad: Nebuchadnezzar’s affluence has made him arrogant, yet he’s also doing the best he knows how to in a tough situation.
Another really tough situation regards one of the people I follow on Instagram. A loyal, fierce mom of three, resilient, tough, beautiful: Bella is a lingerie model; her public photos alone are casually R-rated. And she’s dying of breast cancer. A survivor of a double mastectomy and 21 surgeries in 3 years, Bella has stage 4 metastatic tumors throughout her body now. I admire her determination in doing what she can to provide for her family as much and as quickly as possible. I hope she knows Jesus because He’s there hurting with her while also celebrating her.
In fact, like Nebuchadnezzar, Bella is exactly the kind of person Jesus came to redeem and die for. But Dave! She’s a sex worker! Oh, really now, Mr. or Miss Perfect: perhaps you’re forgetting Jesus’ advice about removing that plank from your eye? My dirty sins, like yours, earned me damnation. Thank God His Son rose to forgive all of ‘em: mine, yours, and hers. And Nebuchadnezzar’s. Got skin? Got sin. He rose once for all.
Like Nebuchadnezzar, Ms. Bella’s in a tough spot. Nebuchadnezzar had his arrogance to blame for what was coming. This lady doesn’t because nobody deserves cancer or pain, but she has it and now she’s in the last, toughest battle of her life. Yet even now, God always sends His kind of rescue. For the king of Babylon, it was Daniel. Who knows how Christ may help this edgy online influencer; maybe through you? If you’re so inclined, prayerfully consider donating to her kids’ fund at https://gofund.me/0e166acd. If you can’t do that, then please, at least, fight for her in prayer. Tough times build tough faith.
For further reading: Genesis 41:38, Job 3:26, Psalm 30:6-7, Mathew 7:5, Daniel 4:10
Lord, have mercy on us. Heal our diseases and give Your peace to our hearts.
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Practical Proverbs 