There is much that can happen in a day. It amazes me that a day is 24 hours. A day can go by quickly or drag on, yet it is the same 24 hour segment of time. We can even break it down. 24 hours = 1,440 minutes. Now that seems like so much. Then of course we know that a split second of time can change everything. Just that split second. Our emotions can reel. Our thoughts can take us places we have never been before. And it all happens in that one split second.

In that split second, we may need an answer. A solution. We need to know information.

Enter my friend, Daniel……..

Taken as a youth to Babylon, into captivity, Daniel finds himself in a situation he had never before experienced. King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that he wants interpreted. He summons his astrologers & tells them that they must tell him his dream & then interpret it for him. If they are able to do so, they will receive all kinds of gifts & rewards & honor. If they are unable…well, they will be cut into pieces & their house would be burned to rubble. These astrologers, realizing this is a futile request & in an effort to save their heads (literally), inform the king that what he is requesting is too difficult. This angers King Neb & he orders that all the wise men be gathered & be executed.

Daniel urges his friends to pray for mercy from God & during the night the mystery of the dream is revealed to him which he explains to the king.

As I have been reading & thinking on this portion of Scripture in Daniel, I have come to realize:

It is OK to admit, “I just don’t know.” There are times in life, we are going to be faced with not knowing how to proceed in a situation. We may not always have the answer.

Going back to Daniel, I have discovered this:

1. God is sovereign over EVERYTHING. “He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings.” (Daniel 2:21a NLT)
2. God will supply all that I need in a situation. “He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars.” (verse 21b NLT)
3. He will reveal to me that which I need to know. “He reveals deep and mysterious things.” (verse 22a NLT)
4. He knows what is hidden. “And knows what lies hidden in darkness.” (verse 22b NLT)
5. He is the Light of the world. And may I add, of our situations. “And light dwells with him.” (verse 22b NIV). He is aware of what may yet be dark to us. He is always “in the know”.
6. He is able to make me smarter than I am. “You have made known to me what we asked of you.” (verse 23b). We must come to Him & ask.

This particular story in Daniel ends with the dream being revealed because God made it known to Daniel. At those times in our own lives when we are unsure to proceed, may we remember Daniel. May we come to God in prayer & ask Him to reveal to us what we need to know, supply us with what we need & strengthen us to move forward.

This week I faced a situation in which I had the opportunity to follow the example of Daniel. I had to admit that I did not know the particulars of a situation. I decided to hold still, pray & ask the Lord to reveal the truth in what was before me. In time, He did just that. And I found that my response was also like Daniel’s:

Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. (Daniel 2:20b NIV).