Raised Up From Our Losses

Daniel 4:14-15

He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field.

King Nebuchadnezzar was at ease in his house and prospering greatly.  In his own words, the Most High God had blessed him in every way.  But because of Nebuchadnezzar's unrighteousness and iniquities, it was all taken away from him.  The Most High God, who had provided it all to Nebuchadnezzar, allowed it all to be taken away.  Ultimately, when Nebuchadnezzar turned his eyes back to the the Lord, all was returned to the King.

In the prophetic words of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar is the tree.  God commands that the tree be stripped of all branches, leaves and fruit.  But as the God of all mercy stripped everything away from the tree, he left a stump from which the tree could rise again.

Almighty God is not only the God of all provision, He also the God of all loss.  In some unusual cases, He may order our losses to occur.  In most cases, He is simply allowing a loss to occur as a result of our iniquities or as a result of the attacks of the enemy.  Be certain that no loss can occur in our lives without God allowing it.  Be even more certain that our merciful Lord, who is filled with lovingkindness, is also the God of restoration.  So no matter what we are going through, or have gone through, God has commanded that some good remnant be left in us from which He can raise us up according to His perfect plans for our lives.

When we are going through the greatest of trials, let us gird ourselves with the promises that God has made to us.  He is not only prepared to restore us, it is His desire that we be restored.  Let us rejoice that the loving and merciful hand of the Lord never leaves us.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You for every provision in our lives.  We give You all the glory and the praise for Your grace and lovingkindness.  Teach us, Lord, how to give you all the glory and praise when we are experiencing loss in our lives. Build up our faith so that we may endure while You raise us up from "what is left" in our lives to the good and perfect place that You have planned for us.  We ask all these things in the name of our all-sufficient Lord, Jesus Christ.