This was quite a turnaround! One moment Daniel was being threatened with death and now, having revealed the meaning of his dream, King Nebuchadnezzar made him ruler of the province of Babylon. He showered him with expensive gifts and declared that Daniel’s God was the greatest God of all. Given that Daniel was a foreigner from a land far away that had been defeated by the Babylonians, this was a truly revolutionary change. However, Nebuchadnezzar’s acknowledgement that Daniel’s God was the one true God did nothing to change his behaviour, and shortly afterwards, we find him setting up an enormous golden statue which he expected the people to worship.

There is no question that King Nebuchadnezzar was deeply impressed by all that Daniel had done. And there is no reason to doubt that he was genuinely in awe of the power and wisdom of Daniel’s God. But it did nothing at all to change him. There are many people who, like Nebuchadnezzar, are genuinely impressed by God. They may have seen God change people’s lives in amazing ways, and they are pleased to see it, but they carry on with life as if nothing happened.

Acknowledging the greatness and wisdom of God is a wonderful thing, but by itself, it is not enough. It needs to change the way we live. We can sing every hymn and song that has ever been written. We can attend church every Sunday. We can lift our hands in worship with the most enthusiastic of worshippers. We can read the Bible every day. We can have innumerable Christians among our friends. Unless it changes us and shapes the way in which we think and live, it will have no effect. The choice is ours.

In what ways are you going to allow God’s power and wisdom to shape the way in which you live today?

Loving Father, I acknowledge that you are an amazing God, and I invite your Holy Spirit to guide me throughout this day. Amen