this martin luther king, jr. day I did something i have never done. i watched his "dream" speech from the steps of the Lincoln memorial on the day the civil rights movement marched on washington.
yesterday, i asked my dad if he thought there was or could be a "politician" in our day whose heart is wholly the Lord's (as the prophet (and politician) Daniel was). today, i am hopeful that the Lord can raise up such a one, a man who cares more for the Lord's approval than man's. will you please join me in praying for such a leader? i hope you will have time to listen to this sometime today...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbUtL_0vAJkalso read daniel 6
1It seemed good to King Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they would be in charge of the whole kingdom, 2and over them three commissioners (of whom Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer loss. 3Then this
Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom.
4Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. 5Then these men said, "We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God."
6Then these commissioners and satraps came by agreement to the king and spoke to him as follows: "King Darius, live forever! 7"All the commissioners of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the high officials and the governors have consulted together that the king should establish a statute and enforce an injunction that anyone who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, shall be cast into the lions' den. 8"Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked." 9Therefore King Darius signed the document, that is, the injunction.
10Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. 11Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God.
12Then they approached and spoke before the king about the king's injunction, "Did you not sign an injunction that any man who makes a petition to any god or man besides you, O king, for thirty days, is to be cast into the lions' den?" The king replied, "The statement is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked." 13Then they answered and spoke before the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the injunction which you signed, but keeps making his petition three times a day." 14Then, as soon as the king heard this statement, he was deeply distressed and set his mind on delivering Daniel; and even until sunset he kept exerting himself to rescue him. 15Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, "Recognize, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or statute which the king establishes may be changed."
16Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions' den The king spoke and said to Daniel,
"Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you." 17A stone was brought and laid over the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing would be changed in regard to Daniel. 18Then the king went off to his palace and spent the night fasting, and no entertainment was brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.
19Then the king arose at dawn, at the break of day, and went in haste to the lions' den. 20When he had come near the den to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled voice. The king spoke and said to Daniel,
"Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you constantly serve, been able to deliver you from the lions?" 21Then Daniel spoke to the king, "O king, live forever! 22"My God sent His angel and shut the lions' mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime." 23Then the king was very pleased and gave orders for Daniel to be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no injury whatever was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
24The king then gave orders, and they brought those men who had maliciously accused Daniel, and they cast them, their children and their wives into the lions' den; and they had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. 25Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: "May your peace abound!
26
"I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel;
For He is the living God and enduring forever,
And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed,
And His dominion will be forever.
27"He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."
28So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
with all that, let me make it clear - my hope is in Jesus. my citizenship is first and foremost to His Kingdom. no politician can "fix" the problems we see in our nation or our world. but let us be women and men who cause others to recognize and praise the power of the Living God. let us be careful to be found innocent before Him.
"the vision is yet for the appointed time. though it taries, wait for it. it will surely come." even so, COME LORD JESUS.
