Portrait of a Soul
Dan 4:34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
King Nebuchadnezzar’s life was an interesting representation of a soul in search of a higher power and conflicts with ego and flesh that would eventually give way to acknowledging the superior power of the one and only Almighty God. Filled with high drama and amazing stories of divine intervention, the image his soul painted was quite unique in its detail, and yet there was a common element about it that revealed the origin of its painter. Though his soul would rise to attempt dominance and prominence, independence and freedom, the touch of the Master on each of his diversions always caused there to be a return to the image of the Artist’s intent.
It’s interesting to compare the life of this arrogant and dominant king to that of Daniel, the humble servant. Though their end had a very similar theme and appearance of one that had discovered the amazing greatness of God, the path to that place and the strokes that had formed that image were quite different. Both learned the value of acknowledging the superior power and dominance of the Lord, but the experience that brought this knowledge was quite different. Daniel, through observing the judgments of God and wisely choosing His law that would help him to avert those judgments, got to live a life of fulfilled purpose and demonstrated excellence. The king, though, had to discover through his own failed rebellions that there was one Lord of all.
Our images are being formed even now. Though our hearts will join with those who’ve discovered the greatness of God, what strokes will form our soul’s portrait, and what will it take to complete its acceptance of the Master’s intent for our lives?
