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CONTEXT: Daniel praises God for answering their prayers by revealing the king’s dream.

Have you ever had God miraculously answer your prayer? Maybe finances were tight, and you received the exact amount needed to pay a bill. Or someone you know received a diagnosis and then learned there was no sign of disease at a follow-up appointment.

Today, we see that God miraculously answered Daniel and his friends by giving Daniel a vision of the king’s dream! While you and I might have immediately run to tell King Nebuchadnezzar what we’d learned, Daniel had a different response.

First, Daniel immediately trusted God had answered their prayers. As soon as he received God’s revelation, Daniel knew He had answered. There was no hesitation. He didn’t wake his friends to get their opinion, wondering if he’d heard God correctly. He didn’t consider if they should keep praying in case there was more to uncover, as though God was holding out on them. He knew without a doubt that this was God.

Next, Daniel praised God. Daniel was in the middle of a crisis. Time was running out, and lives (including his own) depended on him describing and interpreting this dream. It would have been natural for him to drop everything to share what he’d learned with the king. But God always comes first to Daniel. He is his Lord, his source of strength and wisdom. For Daniel, there’s no other option. He has to first praise God for his wisdom, power, and answered prayers.

Not only would their lives be spared when he interpreted the dream, but Daniel knew this would illustrate God’s power to King Nebuchadnezzar.

Sometimes, we pray, but deep down, we wonder if God will really come through. We pray with hesitation. We devise our backup plan in case God doesn’t answer. Sometimes, when He answers our prayers, we’re quick to move on, barely acknowledging that God supplied our need, opened the door, provided direction and clarity, or, like in Daniel’s case, performed a miracle.

We are God’s children. He loves us, forgives us, redeems us, and chooses us. He wants us to know that through Jesus, we can boldly bring our prayers to Him. And when He answers, may we pause to praise Him from a heart full of gratitude.

CONSIDER THIS:

1. Consider your prayer life. Do you come to God with hesitation or confidence? Why?

2. How do you respond when God answers your prayers? Are you quick to move forward?
Or do you pause to thank and praise God for what He’s done?

3. Write a prayer asking God to help you trust Him more as you confidently bring your prayers to Him.