Monday August 2

Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret … Then the secret was revealed to Daniel … So Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel 2:17-19 NKJV

The Power of Specific Prayer

Notice the sequence of events: first, Daniel prays with his friends; “Then the secret was revealed to Daniel … So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.” To make known our requests to God is our first duty “in everything” (Phil. 4:6). But Daniel also informs his three friends so that they may join their supplications with his own. What a privilege to share a difficulty with Christian friends and together to present it to the Lord! And how effective it is, for by this means we bring ourselves within the blessing of His specific promise (Mt. 18:19).

God cannot remain deaf to the prayers of these men who fear Him. He reveals the secret to His servant (Ps. 25:14). Another man might well have run straight to the king, but for Daniel one thing is more urgent: to thank his God and to worship Him (cf. Gen. 24:26). Then only does he have himself brought before Nebuchadnezzar. We see shining out once more one of the beautiful features of this man of God: his humility. Like Joseph (Gen. 41:16), Daniel takes no credit for himself, so as to attribute all the glory to God alone (Dan. 2:30; 1:17; Ezek. 28:3).

When the Lord has been pleased to use us in any service, may we keep ourselves in the background so as to give Him all the credit and all the fruit.

J. Koechlin

Oh, what peace we often forfeit!
Oh, what needless pain we bear!
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer.

J. M. Scriven