Realignment – December 18, 2024 (380/365) – JB's Personal Brain Defragmenter

I need me some reprogramming.

Ever since the end of our journey through the Certified Voice Acting Program, I’ve given in too much to the urge to revel in glory and victory – which just means I’ve been slacking off more. And, take note, this was before my previous complaint about myself playing too much M:TG Shandalar each day for, oh, 2 or 3 days now. I’ve been willingly staying in bed until 9 or 10 in the morning, telling myself – rather, justifying and reasoning out with myself that ‘I’m doing Duolingo’, and I just happen to open YouTube in between.

And it just hit me now – I haven’t been Flowing. I haven’t been thanking God, and I haven’t been trusting God. I asked the Lord this morning to ‘reprogram’ my mind, and it just hits me now – It’s all in giving gratitude to the Lord.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation

28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” 33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws. Daniel 4:28-33

The opposite of an attitude of gratitude, or a mindset of thanksgiving, is pride, plain and simple. Gratitude is being thankful to the Lord, while pride is giving yourself all the credit. Thanksgiving is giving all credit to where it is due (and it all points back to the Lord), while pride is giving thanks, praise, and preference to ourselves.

And man, looking at Nebuchadnezzar’s account here, and seeing how he was brought down so low… well, I’m reminded of how I’ve been treating myself these past days. No, my nails and hair didn’t grow and I wasn’t about to go out on all fours to eat grass… but, well, I may as well have grown horizontally (fatter from now being vigilant with what I’m ~~eating~~ shoving down my throat), and I’ve been in the fetal position in bed, phone in hand delivering junk knowledge straight to my brain. It’s embarrassing. It’s shameful.

…It’s humbling.

Something I’ve had in the archives of my mind, or, actually, something I’ve probably written down about already, is something called a Solomon Moment, or an Ecclesiastes Moment: Where, as in the book, you realize all that you have, and sure, you could be thankful, but you realize it’s all nothing. It’s all vanity. Meaningless.

Meaningless, that is, until you’re led to the realization that all that is of value is in Christ. As Solomon mentioned in the final verses of the book – ’13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.’Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Some of us may come to the realization of the nothingness of everything, and in the void (Musashi’s ‘void’ in his Book of Five Rings comes to mind) we would do best to realize the terrifying glory of the Creator of the universe, and the infinite impact of His word; consequently, we would do best to seek and find Christ as Life in the Scripture (keeping His commandments), and realizing all Scripture points to Christ (fearing God).

Nebuchadnezzar Restored

34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; 35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

Daniel 4:34-37

The difference between Solomon and Nebuchadnezzar is that the former realizes the futility of all works and efforts… While we read in the latter, of how he purposely, intentionally glorifies himself in everything.

As you can see, they both come to the same conclusion. The former says, ‘Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.’, while the latter says ‘praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.‘

And while that’s already condensed as it is, I think we can go back to 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 to sum it all up: ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Note to self: When all seems futile (Solomon) or when you feel full of yourself (Nebuchadnezzar), remind yourself to give thanks, before you are humbled and convicted by the Holy Spirit.

I thank God for life. I thank God for Christ, who IS Life… and I thank God, because He is MY Life.

I thank God, because all that is in this world and this reality is time-bound, bordered and finite – nothing, but EVERYTHING through Christ.

Thank God, because through Christ’s birth, death, resurrection and ascension, we’ve been reconciled to God;

Thank God, because the Holy Spirit has us understanding that this means that all of our being, all of us has been reconciled and brought back into right standing with the Maker of Time and Space, and, consequently, all (if ‘all’ is appropriate) that is infinite and eternal..

Thank God, indeed! For through Christ, Light shines in the darkness, Life is planted in death, and Value is drawn from nothing.

I thank God, and I give glory to Him! For we see the true value in all things, we see the deeper lessons in the mundane, and we see the comfort in the greatest of pain.

Thank God, for the Spirit of Adoption, which has us calling out to Him in all circumstances, ‘Abba, Father!’

Thank God, for the Spirit of Truth, who leads us into all Truth, at all times: Past, Present and Future, split-second moments and long-drawn epochs.

Thank God, for the Spirit that convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment, for all are led, within every single second of their existence in this reality, to look to Christ (the bronze Serpent on the stick in the wilderness).

I thank God – Oh, I thank God! Thank You Lord, for this moment, this reminder, this humbling time to realize and remember that You are utmost and absolutely above all – infinitely superior to all we are and all we have and all we do!

Thank You, Lord, because, indeed, You ARE my Lord, demonstrating, displaying your absolute authority and power over all that there is, in and out of my being and senses and awareness;

Thank You, Lord, because not only are You great, but You are good – Good, that is, as a Father who, in spite of His honor and majesty, runs to US when we are far off in the distance!

…and, my, isn’t that another thing to realize? You can see both Solomon and Nebuchadnezzar in one unnamed character in one of Christ’s parables; He was never given a name, but we all know him as the Prodigal Son.

And through the said parable, we see something else that may just serve as a precursor to what brought these Old Testament kings into absolute humility:

12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.Luke 15:12-13

I’ve heard a lot about the younger son’s words to the father in verse 12, but I think we should do our own breakdown and analysis of it:

‘Father, – He was well aware of who God is, but he continued with the rest of his request.

give me the share of property – Other translations say ‘share of the estate’, etc.; What I have heard about this was the son didn’t wait till the father’s death, implying that he didn’t care about the father at all.

that is coming to me.’ – He was more focused on what was ‘his’.

Indeed, pride comes before a fall, no matter what form it takes. Whether we are so hard-headed to refuse to appreciate creation (Solomon), or we are so short-sighted to put ourselves on a pedestal that only God could accommodate (Nebuchadnezzar), we would always find ourselves frustrated…

…but, more importantly, we would also have this opportunity to return to our natural state of humility.

I thank God, for these moments of revelation – indeed, even during times when things are just so topsy-turvy (by our own doing and/or by the world’s movements) – the Holy Spirit is faithful to satisfy us when we give in to His gentle reminders to seek Him. I thank God, for it is true – when we seek, we shall find.

I thank God, for these times of refreshing, present even in times of tension, anxiety, and confusion.

Thank God, because even if we bring all this upon ourselves, He continues to see us through, lovingly and graciously.

Thank God, because even if we behold the impact of all beyond our control, He is able to cause all of it to work for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

I thank God, just for these times of reflection, and meditation. None of this time is ever put to waste. Every single moment and second intentionally seeking the Lord and/or going through His word – no matter how minute or how long we can bring ourselves into is, our minds are being renewed (reprogrammed) and we are transformed – I believe, we are transformed for the better, and are moved (even ever so slightly) from glory to glory.

Thank You, Lord, for this time. Thank You, for bringing me back to the right path, and directing my steps. Thank You, for reminding me to acknowledge You in all things, that my thoughts would be established.

Indeed, You, o God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – You are worthy of all praise, honor, glory, power, strength, credit, worship, thanks and adoration. We give all because You gave everything to us – in the form of Christ, our Way, our Truth, and our Life.

Indeed, Jesus, in You we live, in You we move, and in You we have our being.

May we continue to do our best in everything, for the benefit of the most people, to the ultimate glory of God.

May we continue to flow.

May we continue to thank God.

May we continue to trust God.

O praise the Name of the Lord our God!

O praise His Name forevermore!

For endless days we will sing Your praise,

Oh Lord, oh Lord our God!

Two things I want to write about, before I go ahead and forget about it: