Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Jews, bought his wife a pair of shies. When the shows began to wear, Nebuchadnezzar began to swear.’ This silly little rhyme about the King of Babylon was all I knew about him when I was growing up. No help at all! But Nebuchadnezzar was a cruel and petty ruler with more power than common sense. Fancy ordering the death of all his wise men because they couldn’t tell him what his dream had been. By killing all the wise men, he would have none left to advise him.
‘I have firmly decided!’ ‘Cutting off his nose to spite his face!’ The lives of Daniel and his friends were now at risk. Asking his friends to join in, Daniel prays earnestly to the God of heaven. He tells the king ,’no wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner cam tell …’ Then Daniel says the telling words ‘BUT there is a God in heaven.’
The God of Daniel’s day is also the God of today. He has the same power and we have problems, though not usually so severe. We must do what Daniel and his friends did – pray.