Posted by Eileen Wong • Sep 04, 2021
Our Best Thought is a weekly devotional thoughtfully penned by leaders in DUMC arising from their daily devotions. The devotional’s title, “Our Best Thought” is taken from the hymn, “Be Thou My Vision” as a reference to God: “Thou my best thought, by day or by night.” Publishes on Sundays.
Scripture:
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might.
He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding”
Daniel 2:20-21, ESV
Observation:
These were Daniel’s first recorded words after God revealed the mystery of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream through him. In this pagan society, Daniel fought to balance his loyal service to Babylon with his ultimate obedience to God. Yet in spite of his disagreement with Babylon’s policies, Daniel gave his life to serve the nation. The book of Daniel is thoroughly political, revealing the power of God’s sovereign undertow beneath the tides of world politics, and all for the sake of His chosen people. Even as His people endured exile in Babylon, God sovereignly governed the world’s political leaders — raising, dropping, and reordering political powers for millennia (Daniel 2:21)
In Daniel 2:36-45, we read about a giant statue of a man with a head of gold and feet of clay that towered about 100 feet in the air and glistened brilliantly in the sun. This layered statue represented a succession of the world’s four great superpowers from Daniel’s day into the future, all stacked vertically and cemented together.
Then it toppled.
The statue was targeted by a stone and smashed into the statue’s feet, and, on impact, shattered the entire statue. The small meteoric stone, now on the ground, began to grow and expand into a mountain that covered the entire earth — the image of a new and unshakable kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, now spread out over every continent, displacing all the world’s superpowers in history.
Application:
What better time particularly in our country’s context then to be reminded that God is the source of all “wisdom and might”. What better time to acknowledge the One who “changes times and seasons”. What better time to bless the name of Him who “removes kings and sets up kings”!
More than ever, as believers, we need to plunge our minds into the ocean of God’s sovereignty. We need to hear again from God Himself that He is sovereign over our nation and everything that happens in her. He reigns over our land, our leaders and all politicians, great or small.
Response:
Our great and Almighty God, the Creator of the universe, we recognise that Your providence rules over all the rulers of the earth. Just as with the Babylonian Nebuchadnezzar, and the Persian Cyrus, You cause the rulers of the earth to “fulfill all Your purposes” (Isaiah 44:28).
Political leaders come and go, but You are the God whose “dominion is an everlasting dominion” and “whose kingdom endures from generation to generation”. Amen.
Eileen Wong is a Lead Facilitator with Equip Bible Studies.
Our Best Thought is a weekly devotional that follows DUMC’s Bible Reading Plan. Posts on Sundays.
