Daniel Chapter Two

 When Daniel finds out Nebby's nefarious plan to kill all the advisers, he goes right to his friends for mutual counsel and support:

17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

What's notable about this is that he wants to protect them from destruction, but then after they pray -- together-- God answers those prayers and delivers them all through Daniel.  Aside from Daniel serving as a prefigurement of Christ saving us, this is really cool because it drives home the idea that we're in this together.  We have to make each other aware of the dangers around us and then we have to pray and seek God's mercy together to be delivered from those dangers.  Daniel isn't acting in isolation.

Too often, I want to just go it alone.  Scratch that, I don't *want* to go it alone, but I do anyway because it's easier, more convenient, or it requires less vulnerability-- I don't have to face the ick in my own spirit when I'm not in the mood if no one is there to hold me accountable.  I sometimes let this pride take over and isolate me.  It's dumb.  I need all the help I can get because, honestly, there are a lot of times I feel like a hot mess trying to stay afloat in all this murk.  In what ways do we block ourselves from experiencing this spiritual companionship?  What could we do to cultivate it more in our daily or weekly lives?

Other observations:  It's interesting the way God is set up as a contrast to Nebuchadnezzar in verse 12-13 when Nebby sentences all of the wise men to death.  While there may have been political motivations (new king coming up with an excuse to clean house and appoint new advisers who would be more loyal to him), there's also this idea that Nebby might be looking for faithful, trustworthy advisers to help him on his reign.  Nebuchadnezzar, a ruthless, worldly ruler, uses the threat of life to gather faithful advisers to him.  On the other hand, God gives his faithful the promise of life and asks nothing in return except our obedience and love.  Who would you rather serve?

That's kind of an obvious rhetorical question, so then maybe a better one is why do we choose to serve worldly things that only contain promises of death for us rather than promises of life?

Check out the dream now.  So roughly verses 44-45.  We've got a final empire that overthrows the kingdom and it's partly strong, partly fragile.  What could this be a metaphor for in your own life?  What's powerful in your life that threatens to overthrow you despite it being "partly fragile"?

Finally, Nebuchadnezzar's faith ("Your God is the God of gods") comes after God and Daniel pass his test.  And later, we're going to see that faith waver again.  Daniel's faith comes before the test.  Why is it so much more powerful to have faith before it is tested?  And in what ways do you withhold your complete faith in God, waiting for Him to come through on something first?  How does that impinge on a closer, more loving relationship with Him?

I've got to think about that one a little more before I tackle my own answer.  But lunch break is over now!  Back to the grind!