TODAY IN THE WORD
Muhammad Ali was one of the most prolific boxers in history, and his verbal jabs packed plenty of punch as well. Some called him larger than life. He called himself “the greatest.” But his battle with Parkinson's disease dealt the outspoken star a near knockout blow. After coping with the humbling disease, he has learned many lessons, saying, “God gave me this illness to remind me that I'm not Number One. He is!”

Nebuchadnezzar had lost control of his mind for seven years, plenty of time for him to learn his lesson. Although he was certifiably insane, that doesn't mean he wasn't aware of his situation. The tone of his praise to God seems to indicate that he had been tormented by the state of madness his pride had caused, and he had fully repented of his wicked ways.

Nebuchadnezzar was the king of radical shifts. In chapter 3 he went from cursing Daniel's friends to increasing their power and praising God. In this chapter he was chewing on grass and mooing like a cow one moment and delivering the most eloquent speech of praise to God the next. And the amazing thing about his words of praise is the state from which he delivered them. He hadn't been around people for seven years, so his outburst of worship must have been based on what he had learned about God from Daniel.

For Nebuchadnezzar, the story had a happy ending. He was returned to power, even greater than ever. He praised and worshiped God with a sincerity beyond any he had ever shown. His word choice in the final verse of this chapter is very interesting. In the past, Nebuchadnezzar had called attention to the power of God, but in this passage, he focused on other characteristics of God. He stressed the goodness and justice of God, and then he worshiped Him for His ability to make a proud heart humble. Seven years prior, Nebuchadnezzar would never have appreciated those attributes of our Lord. Chapter 4 is our last impression of Nebuchadnezzar, and humility and love for righteousness is a great way to be remembered.

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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you love God's justice? When is the last time you praised God for being right in all His ways or for humbling you? When we sin, God's righteousness can be painful; when we suffer the consequences, His justice can be humiliating. But when God exposes our sin and disciplines us, He draws us closer to Him. And being close to Him is wonderful because He is so good. Praise Him for His righteousness today, even if it means confessing your most embarrassing sins.

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