Daily Devotions

The book of Daniel tells of how God shows His everlasting wisdom, power, and faithfulness through one of Israel’s greatest prophets.   Daniel’s story is set right after Babylon’s first attack on Jerusalem. They had plundered the city and the temple, taking a wave of Israelites into exile. 

Among these prisoners were four men from the royal family line of David: Daniel, later named Belteshazzar, and his three friends, who you probably know by their Babylonian names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. This book tells of their struggles to maintain hope in the land of their conquerors.

Daniel was revered as a man of God, and it is already established that he was a committed man of prayer, as illustrated in Daniel 2:17-18 “Daniel then went home and told his companions Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what was going on. He asked them to pray to the God of heaven for mercy in solving this mystery so that the four of them wouldn’t be killed along with the whole company of Babylonian wise men.” 

Daniel further demonstrates his commitment to a prayer life during the events of chapter 6. Due to the envy of the people around him, Daniel is thrown into the lions’ den. However, God works to keep him safe, and he comes out unscathed. 

Someone has said, “God had only one Son who lived without sin, but He has had no sons who have lived without prayer.” Jesus was constantly in prayer. He prayed before He ate, before great decisions, and in the Garden of Gethsemane before He went to the cross. Sometimes He prayed all night. Jesus lived the most beautiful life that was ever lived by a human being, and He did this by saturating His life with prayer.

If we learn anything from the faith of Daniel in the midst of extreme provocation it is the place of faithful prayer that is the key inner strength that allows the one who prays to do God’s will. Interestingly, it was Mahatma Gandhi who said, “Prayer is not an old woman's amusement. Properly understood and applied, it is the most potent instrument of action."

You may wish to read Chapter 9 of Daniel where you will find the earnestness of his prayer.

Today, in the light of Daniel’s prayer, we pray, “All-knowing God, we regularly face difficult decisions and confusing predicaments. We ask for your wisdom to help us make choices that honour you. Amen”