If life were a wrestling match, Nebuchadnezzar was the reigning champ. Many earthly powers had gone toe-to-toe with this Babylonian king; none had walked away victorious. He was strong and well built. Championship belts adorned his waist. He wore the scowl of arrogance, his eyes were penetrating, he walked with a victor’s strut, and he feared no one. Daniel had watched in horror the day Nebuchadnezzar pulled Israel into the ring. The king of Babylon picked up Daniel’s homeland, body-slammed it onto the floor, and then pinned the staggering nation with ease. Israel stumbled out of the ring and into Babylonian captivity.
Nebuchadnezzar seemed invincible. Perhaps that is what drove his confident swagger. But his confidence collapsed the day he attempted to take on God. God pinned Nebuchadnezzar in record time. In fact, God humiliated him! At the post-match press conference Nebuchadnezzar paid tribute to the true King. His words describe an attribute of God we would do well to remember.
“After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He has the power to do as he pleases among the angels of heaven and with those who live on earth. No one can stop him or challenge him, saying, “What do you mean by doing these things?” (Daniel 4:34-35 NLT)
Nebuchadnezzar learned the hard way that God is sovereign. To call God sovereign means he is supreme; he is the number one ruler in the universe. To call God sovereign means that his power is unmatched and his control is absolute. Those who oppose the Sovereign should cringe, but those who know him should take comfort. Here is the reason: the Sovereign God, the one who can defeat any opponent, is our corner (Psalm 118:6-7; 124:1).
When I wrestle with fear, I need to remember the Sovereign God is in my corner. When tough times drag me into the ring, I remember the Sovereign God is in my corner. When heartache has me pinned to the mat, I remember the Sovereign God is in my corner. When a mighty opponent threatens me, I remember the Sovereign God is in my corner. What are you facing in the ring of life today? Don’t fear and don’t fret – the Sovereign God is in your corner.
FOCAL POINT: Are you wearing a ring? Why not set it somewhere where you can see it. Let it serve as a reminder that nothing that comes “into the ring” today is more powerful than the Sovereign God who loves you. So take your opponent to him in prayer. No matter who or what you are facing, your Sovereign God can help you overcome it. Remember, he is in your corner.
Copyright © 2009 Tommy Kiedis