Bible Verse of the Day Thursday March 2nd, 2023

 Daniel 2:18 He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

Daily prayer is one of the most critical weapons in the armory of every child of God. It would do us all well to follow the example of Daniel, who prayed three times a day. For prayer to be valuable and productive, it must come straight from a humble heart surrendered entirely to God. We must also be aware of our constant and continuing need to go to the throne of God when we are in a dark valley and on the mountaintops. We should not look at our daily prayer life as something we do every day without much thought or consideration; it should be a time of delight that we look forward to with childlike excitement. When we face some seemingly overwhelming and undefeatable trial or tribulation, the throne of God is the place of comfort, security, and direction. 

Daniel and his three companions faced an impossible and seemingly impossible situation. The King had had a dream that bothered him greatly, and none of his so-called wise men, astrologers, or enchanters could interpret the dream. The clairvoyants and soothsayers told the King that no one in the kingdom could do what the King requested. Consequently, King Nebuchadnezzar issued a kingdom-wide decree that all wise men were put to death. When this decree was spread over Babylon's entire kingdom, some of the King's men were sent to seek out Daniel and his friends to be killed along with the rest.

Daniel did not attempt to beg the King for his life and that of his friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, nor did he try to influence the King into excluding him and his friends. Daniel and his companions learned how vital and critical a daily consecrated prayer life was from an early age. We all know how the situation ended, God revealed to Daniel what the King's dream meant, and Daniel explained it to King Nebuchadnezzar. The King was satisfied with Daniel's interpretation, and there were no mass executions in the Kingdom of Babylon.

Daniel exhibited what is still as effective today as during the Jewish seventy-year exile in Babylon. Suppose we do not seek other means of resolution to our dilemma or attempt to fix it ourselves but instead take it to God's Throne. In that case, we will not suffer unnecessary anxiety or depression. As born again, washed in the blood, saved followers and believers of Christ Jesus, we have 24/7 access to God's throne room to bow before His throne and bring all our requests, worship, and praise to Him.

Peter reminds us that we can cast all our worries and anxieties on God because He cares for all people (1 Peter 5:7). One might ask just how much God loves and cares for us, for the definite answer to that dilemma read the comforting and reassuring words in John 3:16.