they answered a second time and said, “let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” the king answered and said, “i know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm—if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. therefore tell me the dream, and i shall know that you can show me its interpretation.” the chaldeans answered the king and said, “there is not a man on earth who can meet the king’s demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or chaldean. the thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except wthe gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.” [daniel 2:7-11]
there is not a man on earth who can meet the king’s demand
if Jesus were standing there, he might say “with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (matthew 19:26) this is a great example of the dependence the Lord calls us to.
how do you respond when you feel the Spirit convicting you of your calling to confront someone you know won’t receive it well?
how do you respond when you start to feel conviction to confess a sin you think you know will forever hurt your image to your fellow believers?
how well do you persist in obedience when your fellow believers berate you for it—calling you prideful, judgemental, or naive?
with man these may be impossible, but God calls us to step into the impossible and ask him to do something we can’t. Jesus stepped into our impossible sin debt and died to rescue us, and now he calls us to step into the world’s death and pray he rescues them through us. Lord, help us be obedient to depend on you for the impossible.
~ stephen hall