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Today my devotions were from Daniel chapter 4.

(Let me segue here to say that I use the New Living version of The One Year Chronological Bible for my morning devotions. I’ve had a great experience with it and highly recommend using it. It has been very helpful for keeping on track and it allows me to avoid the “What should I read next” problem that many people have.)

Anyway, in this passage, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that Daniel interprets. Basically, he tells the king that if he doesn’t repent, then Neb is going to go crazy for seven years until he acknowledges God’s sovereignty. Unfortunately, Neb doesn’t listen and the prophesy comes true.

What strikes me is Daniels appeal to the king to repent. Based on the prophecy, it seems like Neb is a bit haughty. It sounds like his pride has gotten the best of him and God wants to remind his who’s boss. But Daniel doesn’t refer to that, at least not directly. He warns the king and says, “…please listen to me. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past by being merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.”

According to Daniel, Neb’s wickedness has more to do with how he treats the poor than with thinking he’s better than God. Although maybe that’s the problem. Neb has completely missed the point. His position isn’t given to him to rule over his subjects mercilessly. His authority has been given to him so he can make a difference for those who can not help themselves. Instead of doing that, he has withheld justice and mercy to the poor.

What’s profound about this is how this relates to God. God is not like Neb. God IS merciful to the poor and to those who cannot help themselves (that would be us!). Instead of ruling over us like a tyrant. God welcomes us in and helps us out of our poverty and bankrupt souls. He invests in us and offers us a new life and a new position. That’s an amazing thing for a limitless being to do for a limited creation.

So what are we like? Do we seek out the poor around us? This doesn’t simply refer to people with limited finances, but to the people around us who are morally, emotionally, relationally and/or spiritually bankrupt. Do we reflect God’s mercy? Or are we too consumed with visions of our own greatness to notice?

Yesterday I wrote a nice blog about my nice son and my nice life.

You can throw that all out the window. Our stubborn, strong willed child decided to come back and visit Bethany and I tonight.

It all started after he used the bathroom. I noticed that he had “forgotten” to wash his hands. “Hey, buddy, you need to go wash your hands,” I said.

“No,” was the response.

But it wasn’t just a “no”, it was a “No, I’m not going to and I don’t care what you say about it. In fact I’m only saying no because you told me I needed to.”

And this is when he was being nice.

Twenty minutes later, several punishments ranging from timeout to grounding from his toys and Parker finally had his hands washed and his toys picked up.

There are days when I think I know everything about my son and then there are days like today. Days where I wish I could just make my son understand that I really do have his best interests in mind.

Hmmm, maybe this is how God feels when we refuse to obey him and continue to rebel against His Word and His ways? We think we know best, we’re “tired and cranky”, or we just don’t want to deal with our messes.

If that’s true, then thank goodness he’s got more patience than me!

On Thursday, I was sent to Chuck E. Cheese with Parker so that Bethany could have a meeting with the moms of our jr. high girls.

Parker and I had a great time. He even went on two “big” rides that he was always scared of in the past. On the way home, we stopped for ice cream at McDonalds.

Then something strange happened.

For the past two days, Parker has decided that he likes me. He runs up to me and wants to great me when I get home. He tells me he loves me (on his own, without me telling him first) and he asks about me while I’m at work.

I’m struck by how a simple thing like taking my son to play games at Chuck E. Cheese can cause such a turn in his relationship with me. Things were never bad between us, but it’s just been a marked improvement the last two days. I guess I’m just reminded at how important it is make time for my boys. I’ve been so busy and focused on work recently, that by the time I get home, I’m exhausted and worn out to the point that I just want to “veg”.

So thank you, you overpriced mouse with your cardboard-tasting pizza and your cheap games that give out way too few tickets that allow my son to “buy” overpriced cheap toys. Thanks for showing Parker and I a good time.