Daniel 4:37 (ESV)
[37] Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of
heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk
in pride he is able to humble.
Of
all the people in the world, who would have expected Nebuchadnezzar to say the
words in the verse above? Not only was he a pagan king, not only was he the
king who built an image that he required everyone to worship, not only was he
the one who ransacked Jerusalem and worked to convert young Jewish boys to his
own culture and religion, but he had been clearly and specifically warned by
God, and he hadn’t listened.
Nebuchadnezzar saw the power of God in Daniel 3. He was deeply shaken by a
dream in chapter 4 that Daniel interpreted. The dream indicated that Nebuchadnezzar
would lose his mind for seven years. Daniel specifically warned him, “Break off
your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to
the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity” (Dan
4:27). Still, King Nebuchadnezzar continued in pride and arrogance, not submitting
to Daniel’s counsel.
I wonder how many people we have written off concerning the Faith. How many
people have we pre-judged, assuming that they would never come to faith? How
many times have we shared the gospel with someone only to have them reject it
and we give up on them? I remember an old pastor challenging me as a young
pastor. He had asked about a common acquaintance and I responded that I thought
his family had given up on him. He pointed his finger at me and said, “Never
give up!”
Only God knows a person’s heart. Only God knows what it will take to bring a
person to their knees in faith. Only God can change hearts. Who would have thought
that Nebuchadnezzar would have uttered the words of verse 37? Who would have
thought that the alcoholic man who walked out of the room when he found out I
was a pastor would one day sit in my church office surrounded by the elders of
the church and say, “All I know is that God loves me and I love him.” Who would
have thought it? But it happened!
Never give up! Don’t hound people. Don’t stalk them with the gospel. But never give up. Keep praying for them. Keep watching for God at work in their life. Keep connected. Love them no matter what, and you just might see God bring them to their knees as he did Nebuchadnezzar. Never give up!
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