YOU ARE THAT TREE!

Reading through Daniel this a.m., thinking how desperate we are for such leaders in our land.

Compassionate, yet courageous true tellers, providentially positioned and spiritually empowered such that regardless of how powerful and intimidating their audience, they deliver!

Imagine the charge given Daniel to deliver his message..."You are that tree", soon to be cut down and destroyed, yet his message balanced with a message of wisdom and promise based upon the change such suffering would afford the powerful but perverted leader.

"Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries! The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds— Your Majesty, you are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth."

"Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”

Daniel 4:19-22, 27 NIV

Then later in verses 5:17 with another leader, a message of unbending integrity:

"Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means."

God grant us such leadership in this most critical moment in our nation!