Seeds for 07/22/2024 - Praise - Daniel 2:20-23
In this series on prayer and scripture, we are following the acronym P.R.A.Y. as a guide for prayer. We are considering scriptures throughout the Bible on each theme. My prayer is that studying scriptures on these themes will give us biblical words to use as our own and simple insights for our praying.
Scripture:
20 …
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are His.
21 He changes times and seasons;
He deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
22 He reveals deep and hidden things;
He knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with Him.
23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors:
You have given me wisdom and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
you have made known to us the dream of the king.”
Observation:
Daniel’s prayer of praise to God is occasioned by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon having a disturbing dream and looking for its interpretation. In doing so, he was pointed to Daniel, a Hebrew young man who was in the service of Babylon and who was renown for his gifting in interpreting dreams. Daniel recruited his friends and fellow Hebrews Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, to join him in praying for God to reveal the dream and its message to Daniel. And God answered Daniel.
What is Daniel’s response? Praise!
Here are my observations:
First, Daniel’s first response to answered prayer is to praise God. This is a good habit to train ourselves in. Even simply responding, “Praise God!” at good news and simple answered prayers, when from the heart, follows this practice.
Second, wisdom is the gift that Daniel has been sought for by King Nebuchadnezzar on the recommendation of his court. Daniel praises God, acknowledging Him as the source and giver of any wisdom he possesses.
Third, in this circumstance, general wisdom was not sufficient. Daniel needed specific revelation and God is good for that too. God is the revealer of “deep and hidden things.”
Fourth, Daniel brings together the attributes and capabilities of God—source and giver of wisdom and revelation, with God’s work in his specific situation. In this instance, God “made known to [Daniel] what [they] asked of [Him].” (verse 23)
There’s a movement from general to particular in Daniel’s praise. God is the source and provider of the qualities, gifts, and abilities we need to live and be of service to Him. And God shows up in particular situations to grant us what we need. Daniel includes all of this in his praise.
Application:
What qualities of God has He gifted you with? When did you experience Him providing for you in a particular situation?
What else might the Holy Spirit be speaking with you about in the text today?
Prayer: I praise you, God, that you are the revealer of deep truth. I thank you that you have done so in scripture, and ultimately in your Son, Jesus. Amen.
“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
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