One of my favorite pastors and authors is Robby Gallaty of Long Hollow Baptist Church in Hendersonville, TN. He has said a lot of things in books I have read or on his podcast, Making Disciples, but there is one thing that I hear him say over and over that sticks with me the most. He said, “The Gospel came to you on its way to someone else.” We need to be honest with ourselves about something, a lot of times what we do is about us. Sadly, we even approach our Bible reading and corporate worship with this mentality a lot of times. However, we see over and over in Scripture how what God was doing in someone’s life wasn’t primarily about them. All of the Bible is about Jesus. Many times, what God is doing in our life isn’t about us, but it is about someone else. God gives us a testimony so that we can tell others about Him. This is certainly the case in today’s text in Daniel.
Daniel and his three friends have been taken captive by the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. They resolve not to defile themselves during the three year testing period concerning what enters their mouth. As a result of their faithfulness, God uses them to speak truth into the life of Nebuchadnezzar after he had a dream that bothered him. When Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar that he can tell him the dream and its interpretation, Nebuchadnezzar begins heaping praise on Daniel. Instead of taking the credit for himself, Daniel shows his integrity in Daniel 2:30, “But as for me (Daniel), this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.” All of Nebuchadnezzar’s wise men had let him down. He was so furious, he ordered that they all be killed. Yet, after Daniel prayed to God, God gave Daniel the answer. The result not only spared Daniel and his friends’ lives, but also it revealed who the true God was to Nebuchadnezzar, though he didn’t fully understand it yet. In this text, I see some important lessons for us as Christians.
- Begin with Prayer. Daniel’s first step was to talk to God about men. What we see earlier in Daniel 2 is Daniel and his friends going to God in prayer. Before Daniel ever went before the king, he asked for time to go seek God for an answer. If we are serious about reaching the lost with the Gospel, we need to seek the God of the Gospel and His power
- Be bold and give God the glory. After talking to God about men, Daniel then went to talk to men about God. We see on multiple occasions in the text how Daniel deflected Nebuchadnezzar’s praise and instead gave the glory to God. Daniel boldly stepped up and spoke to Nebuchadnezzar. May we have the boldness and courage to give God the glory, and to tell others who God is, what He has done, and how He has blessed us.
- Be faithful in trials. We see the character of Daniel in chapter 1, when he refused to eat the king’s food or drink the king’s wine. Given the fact that the food was most likely part of sacrifices to pagan idols, Daniel knew it would defile him to partake of it. I would submit to you that it is because Daniel proved himself faithful in a small trial, that God used him for a bigger purpose. Jesus certainly teaches us this as well in the parable of the talents in Matthew 25.
- Remember your calling. We were created by God and for God Colossians 1 tells us. The life God has given us isn’t about us, it is about Him. A verse I come back to over and over again 2 Timothy 2:1-2, “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful me who will be able to teach others also.” As Pastor Gallaty says, “The Gospel came to you on its way to someone else.” What God is doing in your life, don’t keep it to yourself; instead, use it as a way to share of the glory and grace of God with those around you. After all, what you are going through right now, isn’t just for you. God can use it for the good of someone else down the road.
I want to end this post in a different way than usual. I want to challenge those who have read to the end to do something. I want to challenge you to comment on one thing that God has done in your life. How has He proven Himself faithful? How has He blessed you? Think specifically about the past few months as you have gone through the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ll start it off. God has been so faithful to me and my family by keeping us healthy. He has also seen fit to open up the operating rooms here in Virginia so that Diana, my wife, can get a surgery that she needs. In fact, as you are reading this, she is in the operating room, and I am trusting that God is going to bring her through it. God has helped me learn some new technology on the fly. Before COVID-19, we didn’t use YouTube or Facebook live. I am a lot of things, creative isn’t really one of them. Yet, God showed me how we could do it, and He has given me a faithful church who showed up faithfully, and shared God’s message regularly. He has used our church to reach out to people who are not connected to WBC, and be a blessing to them during this time of struggle. Finally, after a long time (and I mean a long time), the courts in Virginia have re-opened to a degree and we are just a few weeks away from being able to finalize the adoption of our precious little girl. What about you? I can’t wait to read these stories of God’s faithfulness. May He use them not to shine a light on us, but rather as a demonstration of His glory and His grace.
By His grace and for His glory,
Pastor Justin
God has kept my family and I healthy during this time. He has allowed my wife and I to continue working during this time. 5 years ago, when I was down about not finding a teaching position, He kept me patient. He led me to the job I have now. He has blessed me with an amazing wife and daughter.
That’s an awesome story, and a great reminder of how God provides for His children.
God has answered many of my prayers in some really strong ways. I was struggling with finances after my husband Joe’s death. He answered my prayer through a church member who told me of a job opening that I might find interesting. I was hired right after my interview and I have been there going on a year and truly look forward to going to work. God also has used me to help other parents who are struggling with the loss of their children to suicide. I was so wracked with guilt and anger at God because I felt he could have prevented the death of my own son at the age of 21 to suicide. But now, I am turning that anger into helping others who are coping with the same feelings as I had and sometimes still have. I would have to say that God truly does use us to help others and to open our eyes to see we are not alone in our situations. I pray that God will continue to use me to uplift others who are feeling like they can’t go on anymore.
Thank you for sharing. I’m sorry for the pain you have had to endure, but praise God for how He has used you for His glory to help others.