Welcome to the Upper Room. So glad you made it.
As I meditated on Daniel Chapter 5, the correlations in scripture floods my heart. The main theme we see from the first five verse is the need to "Gird the loins of our mind." This, interestingly, is a theme that runs all through scripture from the old to the new testament.
To gird our the loins of our mind is to prepare our minds for service. That is the service that we choose, not that which it chooses, or anyone else chooses for us. It is the sanctification, the separation and dedication, of our minds for God's use.
The outward representation of this inward process is circumcision, the cutting away of excess flesh around the tip of a male's manhood. Though this was for the manhood, the inward reality is expect of us all - male and female alike.
You know, we can only achieve in life that which we make up our minds to achieve. That is the way we are created. We are created, like God, with unlimited abilities and capabilities, but all that is useless till we catch a vision and decide to pursue it.
We are created deciding beings. Until we make a decision the giant in us is not activated. You can imagine what was activated when the people chose to build the tower of babel. Even God attested to their unstoppable nature.
Yet, a lot of people languish today blaming creation for their lot in life. What a shame. We are powerful beyond comprehension, yet we allow ourself to be subdued by the very elements we were created to rule over. What a shame and a waste of a gift.
Until we decide we are useless in all things good. That is the example we have seen in Daniel Chapters 1-4. In Chapter 1, Daniel and his friends had to decide to stay above board in righteousness. Their decision was the circumcision of their heart and mind.
This carried them through in Chapters 2 and 3, and continually differentiated them. We heard that in their voice as they told Nebuchadnezzar, they would still serve EVEN IF God did not deliver them. They had caught a vision of heaven. The vision they caught was directing their lives.
In Daniel Chapter 4, we see Daniel borrowing Nebuchadnezzar such wisdom. This delivered him from languishing in God's judgement. He was chastised, but was restored. Why? He listened to Daniel and circumcised his heart and mind. He girded the loins of his mind.
What about you? Do you have a vision of heaven? Is it ordering your steps?
Let's pray.
The Saint.
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