Just a Slave Boy

 I love the story of Daniel and this morning during my daily devotions, I read through the first few chapters. I am awed by their dedication and commitment to God even though they became captives in a foreign land. We see God gives them wisdom that far excelled the pagan magicians and wizards in the land. They were even made rulers over all of Babylon. (Daniel 2:48-49)

Moving ahead to Daniel 6, the jealous princes were trying to destroy Daniel. They devised a wicked plot and tricked the king into making a decree. When they came back to report to the king that Daniel had disobeyed by praying to God, they referred to him as "one of the captives from Judah." Never mind that he was the ruler of all the provinces of Babylon, right?

Sometimes in life, we encounter people who refuse to see us for who we are. As a caregiver, many times people only see us as a caregiver. They don't see us as Bible teachers, preachers, ministers, writers, or anything else. It's like how David's brothers refused to see him as any more than a shepherd boy even though they witnessed Samuel anoint him as king. (They should have played their cards a little better. lol)

It's hard for people to see past our caregiver's status to the person we are inside. We still have desires, dreams, thoughts, ideas (and good ones!), and aspirations. But it's easy for others to lock us into the caregiver's box as though nothing else about us exists. What's worse - is it is far too easy for us to do that to ourselves!

Maybe we should ask how God sees us. Does He see us as full-on God-seekers? Does He see each of us as the whole person that we are? Doesn't He continue to see us as His child, one He calls His own? When others (or ourselves) see us as abandoned, forsaken, worthless, unworthy, - or any other term you feel right now - He sees us as cherished, prized, loved, needed - and His.

Today, I'll turn my meditations to what He thinks about me. My thoughts will be on how He cherishes His relationship with me! How He loves me and desires to be with me - constantly. He never gets tired of me or needs a break from me. I'll think about how he longs to be even closer to me - if and when I allow it. I'll try to focus on His thoughts about me today. Will you join me in focusing on His thoughts about YOU?

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