16 Oct, 2009
"Daddy, Will You Help Me?"
Did you ever have one of those days? You know the ones. When nothing about your day turns out like you planned.
Well, for me, today was one of those days. From the time I woke up, until the writing of today's DailyBide. It's usually in those moments that God speaks into My Story to remind me of His truths. Today it was about Bouncy Balls. Well not really Bouncy Balls, but the ever loved, fifth-grade math word problems. Today, when it was time to search for a story from the headlines, my daughter walks into my office at home, math book in hand, asking, somewhat sheepishly,
"Daddy ... will you help me study for my math test?"
After walking her through all of the word problems that were in the book, the time came to make up some of our own problems for some extra practice. Problems like ... "Hannah has 50 bouncy balls. She has 14 more red ones, than blue ones. How many of each color bouncy ball does she have?"
Before you pull out the paper and pencil ... take the time to finish reading this ... then you can work it out.
1 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.
2 Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5 Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. 6 Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. 7 The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, "Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom." 8Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. 9Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed.
10The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, "O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you or your color change. 11There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king— made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, 12 because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation."
13Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, "You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. 14I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. 16 But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom."
What does God's Story teach us about solving problems?
While many of us may never be called upon to interpret dreams like Daniel did, we may have many occasions when we will be asked to help a friend solve a problem. Not about bouncy balls, or trains traveling in opposite directions at different speeds, but about real life circumstances. About broken relationships with others. About trouble at home. About decisions that affect the future.
Sometimes we may be able answer those problems. Sometimes we may need to point our friends in a different direction for help. Sometimes we may even need to go to the extent of bringing in an expert, like a Daniel. Either way, we are there to help!
Peter challenges us to "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Peter 3:15). We never know who and when we may be asked to help with life problems. But one thing is for sure. When those times come, it is a perfect opportunity to give a gentle tug and begin connecting that friends story to God's Story.
- Read the Book of Daniel this weekend and soak in the many ways he connected to God's Story.
- Thank God for how has and is working in your life ... solving problems you encounter all the time.
- Ask God to continue to use you to help your friends through the problems of this life. Ask him to keep showing you how to connect others to His Story as you help them through whatever problems they may face.
- Are you faced with a particular problem right now? Don't be afraid to seek the wisdom of your parents, youth pastor, campus club director, etc. They want to help!
Connecting Today's Story, God's Story, and My Story to my Friend's Story
- Has someone come to you recently for help with a problem? Were you able to help them? If so, call them this weekend. Check in on how they are doing now.
- Maybe you weren't able to help that friend who came to you. Did you pray for them? Commit to praying for them this weekend, and every day for the next week. And pray for yourself, as well. Ask God to give you the wisdom to share with your friend.
- Now find a friend and solve that bouncy ball problem together!!
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