Then the man said to me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel, because, from the day you first set your mind to understand things and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I’ve come because of your words!  For twenty-one days, the leader of the Persian kingdom blocked my way. But then Michael, one of the highest leaders, came to help me. I left Michael there with the leader of the Persian kingdom.  But I’ve come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the future because there is another vision concerning that time.” Danial 10:12-14

I just came back from two weeks in the UK, visiting family.  During that time, I tried to write, think, and meditate but found myself feeling like I was being pushed back, as if there was a different atmosphere and yet many similarities.  There were those with a passion for unification without losing identification.  There were those passionate about the environment, and there are those longing for what they perceived were the ‘good ole days.’ The common thread was their concern for the future.

In the text, Danial nemesis was the Prince of Persia, but can I interject that it could easily have been hatred, obsession, competitive opposition, conflict, selfishness, group rivalry, racism, nationalism,  jealousy, all these attitudes can block us from receiving God’s best.  That can be on a personal, local, or even national level.

God knows the future, and I, for one, would be wise to stop second-guessing God. Perhaps that’s why the Apostle John tells us to use both ears and listen to the Spirit