Monday Memo 1139: Great Faith
We have seen over the last few weeks the progress Daniel made in Babylon to the extent that he was now part of the king's court and was consulted on important matters of the kingdom. Then one day the king had a dream and he asked his wise men to interpret it, with one important condition: the king was not going to tell them the dream but he still wanted them to give him the meaning! When the wise men said this was impossible, the king ordered them all to be executed. We then read how Daniel reacted when he heard about the king's death order:
When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. He asked the king’s officer, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him. Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 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. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven (Daniel 2:14-19, NIV).
Daniel had such great faith that he promised the king God would give him both the dream and the interpretation, if only the king would give him and his friends some time to seek the Lord. Daniel and his comrades began to pray and we are told that "during the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision." What a wonderful story this is of God using a young man to save many others through faith in God and answered prayer!
Daniel was probably still a teenager but he had great faith and wisdom. First, he knew how to talk to the king's official with "wisdom and tact." Then he was confident that prayer was the way to get what the king wanted, so he went to his friends and asked them to pray as if their lives depended on it—which it did. Then God answered their prayers and the wise men were spared (including those who did not serve Daniel's God)—and Daniel praised his God.
Perhaps God has given you a leadership position in your family, school, community, or workplace, even though you are young. God put you there so you can represent Him and serve those who are around you. God will give you what you need to do His will in that position if you have faith and ask Him. Your success has nothing to do with the number of years you have lived, but has everything to do with the size of your faith.
Are you believing God for great things? Are you asking Him for what others think is impossible? Do you have friends who have faith and know how to pray with you? God wants to use you not only when you are grown and mature but also when you are young. Do you believe that? If you do, then be God's representative now, where you are in what you are doing, and be like Daniel, a young man who knew how to believe God for the impossible in difficult times. Have a blessed week!