Study 9
by Charles Tan
Text: Daniel 2:20-23
Dear Young People,
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW HOW TO PRAY?
Let’s take time to study how Daniel prayed! This prayer is recorded in Daniel 2:20-23. This is the first of a number of prayers recorded in the Book of Daniel. If you were to examine Daniel’s Prayer, and then compare it with the way you pray, would you see a marked difference?
If you know that the way you pray is really quite shabby when compared to Daniel’s, would you not like to learn how you can improve your prayers offered to God? Let’s work at improving the way we talk to God. Let’s improve our prayers to God.
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW GOD?
How well we pray is directly linked to how well we know God. How well we pray is also determined by how often we pray!
Let’s look at the knowledge that Daniel had of God. For every bit of knowledge Daniel had of God, he taught his heart to respond to Him appropriately.
1. A HIGH REGARD FOR GOD’S NAME
a) Daniel had a high and lofty regard or honour for God’s Name. When he thought of God, he had the highest sense of regard and reverence for Him. The reference to God’s Name indicates that Daniel knew God in a personal relationship. God was not just a concept to Him. God was not just an abstraction. God was both great and real to Daniel. Does not this knowledge of God elicit an appropriate response?
b) He also had an appropriate response for this knowledge of God. He said, “Blessed be the Name of God forever and ever” (Daniel 2:20). This response is good and appropriate. We have a great, great God indeed! How should we regard this great God of ours? We should follow Daniel’s example. He offered praise to God. Take time to read Psalm 103:1-5, and learn how to offer praise and thanksgiving each and every time you approach God in prayer. The best approach to God is to begin by thanking Him for being the Lord God of your life! Make praise a very real part of the way you relate to God in prayer!
2. FURTHER KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
Daniel’s prayer revealed that he really knew quite a bit about God. Would you work through this passage and make a list of things that Daniel knew about God? Here’s how you can start:-
a) God is the Source and Giver of Wisdom Daniel 2:20
b) God has the Power to change the times, and the seasons; He also has the power to remove kings or to raise them up Daniel 2:21
Work out your own list of the attributes of God. As you think and work, see if you can make appropriate responses to God in prayer? Learn to pray as Daniel did.