Greatly Loved

9.22.2010

Daniel 9:23 23 At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision. ESV

Three times between this verse and the end of Daniel chapter 10 are the words, greatly loved. What a greeting from God! He could’ve said, servant; He could’ve said, slave; but God’s messengers made it clear that Daniel was, above and beyond everything else, greatly loved. That’s somehow very comforting.

Daniel worked in the administration department during the reigns of the kings of Babylon and the kings of Media and Persia. But Daniel never forgot Who his God was nor who his people were and the relationship between the two. God was doing what He said He would do if His people forgot Him and they did and He did. But Daniel never forgot God’s love; he never forgot God’s mercy. And Daniel was remembered by the Lord.

You and I must strive to remember God’s plans, purposes, and people. We must become students of the word like Daniel was. The heavenly nation to which we belong is the Lord’s and He will one day come and take us to be with Him forever.

And we must remember that we are greatly loved. It’s not because we have something to bring but because of God and how He looks at us. You and I are greatly loved because we are... and not because of anything we’ve done…

Father in Heaven,

So great is Your love for Your people; so wise and true are Your purposes. May I respond with an open and honest heart today because I am greatly loved by You. Help me to be one with You and to love others just because – in Jesus’ Name, amen.