At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?” Daniel 4:34-35
Most awesome and almighty Father, I should probably “bookmark” this passage and return to it quite often. For it doesn’t just tell the conversion story of a pagan King, it’s the ongoing story of my heart. I am never more sane than when I raise my eyes towards heaven and behold the occupied throne there. Navel gazing, circumstance watching, daily-news fixating NEVER serve me well, and they certainly rob you of honor and glory.
I am humbled and privileged to begin this day acknowledging your dominion as the only eternal dominion. November elections and plane crashes… insurrections and assassinations… conspiracies and tea parties don’t affect your reign one micro-bit. For your kingdom endures from generation to generation. There never has been, nor will there ever be any nervous sweat, furrowed brows or anxious pacing in heaven… not one moment of consternation or vexation in the corridors of paradise… no need for a plan B to emerge from the Big Boardroom.
Father, you do as you please with the powers of heaven and the peoples of earth. That’s why I’m both astonished and profoundly grateful that it pleased you to marshal the powers of heaven for the salvation of ill-deserving rebels like me… and the ultimate transformation of the entire cosmos. Though many tried to hold back your hand… though many said “What are you doing?”, nevertheless, you chose the sacrifice of your Son and the “foolishness” of the cross, as the greatest demonstration of your sovereignty and grace.
The only King who could say, “Behold the world I have made” is the only King who would say, “Behold the people for whom I die.” Indeed, Father, the greatest sanity is gospel-sanity. Keep me sane, Father, keep me gospel-sane. I choose to lift my eyes to heaven today and fix my gaze on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith. And I cry with unabated joy, “Hallelujah what a Savior! Hallelujah what a salvation!” So very Amen, I pray, in the name and for the glory of the true King, Jesus.
