Godly Gals ~ Shelly Wildman
By Shelly Wildman
Last summer I felt like God was telling me to read the book of Daniel.
Daniel?
I didn’t want to read it. I’m sure I had read it before and found the prophecies in the second half of the book way over my head. (They still are.)
But God kept nudging my heart toward Daniel, so I read it. And then I read it again. And I’m here to say that I fell in love with the book of Daniel.
And one little verse was the key for me.
In Daniel 9:23, the angel Gabriel (yes, the same Gabriel who visited Elizabeth and Mary in Luke chapter 1) visits Daniel as he is pouring out his heart before God, confessing his sin and praying for mercy on the people of Israel.
“The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God. . . .” (New Living Translation)
This verse practically jumped off the page of my Bible and kissed me in the face. I couldn’t believe how wonderful it was to read those words, “. . . you are very precious to God.”
I felt like God was telling me that it’s not just Daniel who was precious. I am also very precious to God. And you are too.
Precious enough that He hears our prayers.
Precious enough that He commands angels to help us.
Precious enough to reveal His word to us.
Have you ever felt like your ordinary life was just a little bit out of control? Like thing just weren’t going your way and you didn’t know how to get things back into place? I have. And if that’s you today, know this: you are very precious to God.
Wherever He’s placed you, whatever your situation, He has not forgotten about you. You are very precious to Him.
For some reason last summer as I read those words, I knew that God had put them there for me. He wanted me to remember that I matter to Him. And He wants me to tell you that you matter too.
“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!”I John 3:1 (NLT)