Day Two Hundred Eight “Follow the Pattern”
This would be so exciting! For the first time ever, I was going to make my very own home-sewn dress! Ah, the Junior High Home Economics Nightmare of 1968, who could forget it. I carefully chose the pattern, the fabric (which looking back, wreaked with gaudiness..yikes!), and all the needed notions. I didn’t know what I was doing, but there was one thing of which I was certain, this dress was going to be stunning; the cover of Vogue Magazine stuff! I was generally regarded as a decent student, worked intently for my grades, punctual with any projects assigned, a definite teacher-pleaser, but when it came to two areas, physical education and home economics, I was at a loss. Try as I may, following that Simplicity pattern was NOT simple, and my focus was obviously not always as concentrated as it should have been, highlighted by the fact that I sewed the wrong sleeve on to my dress, using my sewing partner’s sleeve instead…and before you ask, yes, we were dumb enough to choose the same ugly, gaudy, material so that we could look ridiculous together. As I looked at that stupid dress with the two different sleeves, I came to the realization that I may not look as stunning in this dress as I had once imagined. Thankfully, my sewing and homemaking skills have improved…but I’m still a mess at phys ed!
The wise men of Babylon were in quite a pickle, for the king had a frightening dream and his “spirit was troubled.” Problem was, he couldn’t remember the dream at all, and was looking to his wise men for assistance. We can’t tell you the dream, O king, “There is not a man upon the earth that can show the king’s matter.” King Nebuchadnezzar exploded in anger, and “commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon” unless someone could explain his night vision. Young Daniel and his three Hebrew friends were included in that group of wise men who were to be put to death if the dream was not revealed.
Daniel began a pattern that would characterize his life. First he didn’t panic, he paused, desiring that “the king would give him time” to seek out the answer. He then gathered his friends and they prayed, desiring those sweet “mercies of the God of heavens.” Daniel didn’t act in haste, but waited patiently until His God provided the answer, and the “secret (was) revealed unto (him) in a night vision;” Praise flowed from the lips of this godly man who gave God all the glory: “I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom.” With no self-glory evident and all the praise aimed directly at God, Daniel informed the king that “There is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets,” and explained the prophetic vision to Nebuchadnezzar.
The heathen king was so impressed by the power of God in this young man’s life that he made this proclamation, “Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a LORD of kings,” wow, a heathen king acknowledging the heavenly King! The pattern that Daniel set will work in my life too: pausing not panicking, praying, patiently allowing my Father to provide, then praising God for His intervention and proclaiming His power to the world to a world thirsty for the news that HE is Lord! That’s a pattern that will look great on all of us!
Psalm 109:30 I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth: yea, I will praise him among the multitude.
Lord, help me to pattern my life after the godly examples that You provide for us in Your Word. Help me to a pause and pray, patiently let You work, and praise You for the results!
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