Prayer Day 3 of 8???   A Word from THE WORD!!! #279

Our prayer for today is from Daniel, but also from his friends, not just a prayer but a testimony of the strength that dependence upon God provides.  And as I’m often wont to say, “We win!”  And that what Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego said as well.  Let me preface this with a bit of context, Daniel and his friends were taken captive and carried to Babylon to serve in the king’s palace; but their commitment and devotion was totally in their God—Jehovah God Almighty.

“But Daniel purposed in his heart

that he would not defile himself

with the portion of the king’s meat,

nor with the wine which he drank:

therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs

that he might not defile himself.”  Daniel 1:8

Without going too deep, I do need to say that Daniel and his friends remained faithful to God, they had been put to the test at the beginning, and then in chapter 2 they had another crisis of life and faith.  They chose to pray together, and God heard and answered those prayers. (And just FYI verse 17 is their Hebrew names, not the names given them by the Babylonians! verses 1:16-17)

“Then Daniel went in,

and desired of the king

that he would give him time,

and that he would shew the king

the interpretation.

17 Then Daniel went to his house,

and made the thing known to

Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:

18 That they would desire

mercies of the God of heaven

concerning this secret;

that Daniel and his fellows should not perish

with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel

in a night vision.

Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.”   Daniel 2:16-19

Daniel and his friends heard from God.  And what did they do when they saw God’s answer?  What we should always do, they praised God and Daniel wrote down part of their praise; one of the most revealing and powerful passages in scripture.

“Daniel answered and said,

Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever:

for wisdom and might

are his:

21 And he changeth

the times and the seasons:

he removeth kings,

and setteth up kings:

he giveth wisdom

unto the wise,

and knowledge

to them that know understanding:

22 He revealeth

the deep and secret things:

he knoweth

what is in the darkness,

and the light

dwelleth with him.

23 I thank thee, and praise thee,

O thou God of my fathers,

who hast given me wisdom and might,

and hast made known unto me now

what we desired of thee:

for thou hast now made known unto us

the king’s matter.”  Daniel 2:20-23

May we pray with this same confidence!

Amen and Amen!!!