Friday October 28, 2011

When I was a little boy I dreamed about playing professional baseball when I grew up. I was playing baseball as soon as I could walk and throw a ball. I still remember my dad coaching the little league team when I was five. I couldn’t play because I was too young, but I was the bat boy and my dad let me hit. I remember hitting a ground ball and was thrown out, but it was my dream to play baseball.

As I grew and went to college, I realized that my skills as a baseball player would never be used in professional baseball, so my goal turned to being the best high school baseball coach in Colorado. What was your dream? Was it to be a dancer? A singer? A movie star? The president of the United States? I think all of us at one time or other dream of being on a big stage and being recognized for a special skill or ability. Some of you reading my jlog have been in that position to be recognized for some outstanding contribution you have brought to our society.

There is a young man who had the exact opportunity for center stage when a king demanded that people who could interpret dreams tell him his dream as well as the interpretation of the dream. No one had ever been able to do that and when they told the king that, he responded that they all be killed. One man stepped up and asked for time to find out what the dream was but also interpret it. His name was Daniel. He went home with his friends and together they prayed for God to reveal the dream and it’s intrepretation. Their prayers were answered. Daniel went back to the king and responded by saying, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you were lying in bed are these: (Daniel 2:27, 28 NIV). Daniel had the prime opportunity to take the credit for his skills and abilities to reveal the dream and it’s interpretation, but he gave credit to the God of the universe. He could have glorified himself, but he chose to give God the glory. Self-glorification stops God’s power and wisdom from continuing to flow. We are on our own. Daniel knew that whatever gifts and abilities he had came from God and he sought to give glory to where glory was due.

On this journey, self-glorification stops God’s ability to guide and direct our future.