Practical Proverbial, from Daniel, 10 May 2021 Today’s topic: Prayer Matters

During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his.  He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others.  He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.  He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.  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.”  Daniel 2:19-23 (NIV).

God answered Daniel’s prayer the night he prayed it.   Daniel was given the ability to interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s mysterious dream.   What did Daniel do?   He immediately praised God as soon as he woke up.

When was the last time you or I did that?

1 Corinthians 2 reminds us that God reveals all things to us through His Spirit: the same Holy Spirit who God sent at Pentecost; the same Holy Spirit who imparts grace and wisdom from God to us.   That’s a great comfort, knowing the God of the New Testament is the same God of the Old Testament.   He’s the same God through all of history.

All praise to Him for that.   There.  We’ve given up praise, and on a Monday morning even.   Yet we’re actually just acknowledging the same thing Daniel knew 2600 years ago.  God gives us all wisdom and knowledge.   That big “aha” moment when you discern the meaning of something?   God’s Spirit.   Your new idea for making the best cookies in North Texas?   God’s Spirit.   The moment when you look at your kids and realize how blessed you truly are?  God’s Spirit.  That time you were so mad at each other yet, instead of continuing the fight, you opted for resolution and peace?   God’s Spirit.

Keep thinking of those things throughout the day and you’ll see there are zillions of times when love touched your heart.   When you realize that, now remember that those were times when God Himself was at work in you, in big moments and lesser ones.   The God of the patriarchs and prophets is the God who resurrected His Son, Jesus, is the same God who worked the miracles of Acts is the same God of both Christmas morning and calming our deepest hurts.  He’s the same God who Daniel praised.

Prayer works; prayer matters, both in petition and praise.  It’s time we used some of it to give Him thanks and praise.   He so much more than deserves it.

For further reading:  Genesis 20:8, Exodus 3:15, Job 33:15, Psalm 75:6-7, Psalm 113:2, Ezekiel 28:3, 1 Corinthians 2:10, Daniel 2:24

Lord God, all my praise to You and You alone today!

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