I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Psalm 32:8 NKJV.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 NKJV.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8.

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15.

You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Psalm 73:24 NKJV.

Our chapter, Daniel 10, is a remarkable chapter because it shows us there is more going on than we can understand. And it affected Daniel greatly! In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned a great war. The understanding of the message came to him in a vision. At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food, no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over. On the twenty-fourth day of the month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around His waist. His body was like topaz, His face like lightning, His eyes like flaming torches, His arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and His voice like the sound of a multitude. I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. Then I heard Him speaking, and as I listened to Him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground. v. 1-9. Try to imagine what this was like. I can only be thankful for men like Daniel who were faithful to Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit. And even though those men with Daniel couldn’t see what he saw, they knew terror and fled. Daniel was naturally afraid, who wouldn’t be? And Daniel was helped. A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when He said this to me, I stood up trembling. Then He continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days.” v. 10-13. Note the 21 days and the three weeks Daniel mourned and ate no choice foods or used any lotions. “Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help Me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.” While He was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless. Then One who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the One standing before me, “I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, my Lord, and I feel very weak. How can I, Your servant, talk with You, my Lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.” Again the One who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength. “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” He said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.” When He spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my Lord, since You have given me strength.” So He said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come; but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth.” v. 13-21. How many times did Jesus tell His disciples, Peace! Even after He was resurrected and appeared before them, He told them Peace and not to be afraid. He understands how we can be rendered helpless and afraid in our own strength. On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After He said this, He showed them His hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.” John 20:19-21.

Sometimes when I think about all of us with our complexities and needs, I get overwhelmed and wonder why. Why does God put up with all of our misguided attitudes and actions? Somehow, this chapter helps me. There are battles going on we know nothing about and they are terrible and frightening as Daniel understood from seeing them in vision. And yet, what does Creator God tell us in this chapter? Peace! Be strong now; be strong! Not because we fight those battles but because all of creation is in God’s hands and He is able. Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too am working.” John 5:17. And there is a Book of Truth. God’s Truth stands. Always. Peace! Be strong now…be strong! Creator God needs no army of men. Remember what He valued in Daniel…Do not be afraid, Daniel…Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding…and to humble yourself before your God…Creation is about God’s working and as we begin to understand that, let us stop our grasping and instead humble ourselves before Creator God and turn to Him…and rejoice in Him and the work He is doing in hearts and minds turned to Him.