I must admit I do not like to ask for help. When problems and situations arise, I like to solve them myself without needing someone else's help. Maybe you can relate. While many of us like to be self-sufficient, unfortunately, self-sufficiency is an illusion. We need help much more often than we would like to admit. More than anyone's help, we need God's help to walk through life with us and help us in difficult situations.
When Daniel found himself in a desperate situation, he turned to God. He and other young Jewish men had been taken from their homes in Judah to Babylon to serve in the king's palace. Despite the king's attempt to get Daniel to embrace Babylonian culture and let go of his Israelite identity, Daniel remained true to his culture and, most importantly, his faith in God. For example, when the king served Daniel food that had likely been sacrificed to idols and contained meat that the Israelites were forbidden to eat in Daniel 1, Daniel and three of his friends requested to eat only fruit and vegetables. God honored their obedience and blessed them with good health. Of all of the young Jewish captives, Daniel and his three friends captured the king's attention.
Along with Daniel's physical health, Daniel 1 teaches us that "God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams" (verse 17). When the king had a dream that troubled him greatly, he sought out his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to tell him what his dream was and to interpret the dream. Unfortunately, none of them could tell him his dream or interpret it. The king was furious, and he "ordered that all the wise men of Babylon be executed (verse 12). Daniel and his friends were included in this group of people to be killed (verse 13). When Daniel learned of this, he requested more time from the king to learn what his dream meant (Verse 16). Next, Daniel told his friends to pray. He knew that he needed God's help to accomplish this task. So he turned to the One capable of helping Him.
Daniel's story of turning to God for help before anything else is a reminder to all of us. Like Daniel, we all need God's help in both big and small areas daily. The question is, will we turn to Him? Will we have the humility to turn to Him and ask? We may be weak, but He is strong.
What is an area of your life where you are desperate for God's help? Bring it to God now. Spend time praying, asking for His help in that situation. Tell Him you are relying on His power and strength instead of your own.
"One night during the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had such disturbing dreams that he couldn't sleep. 2 He called in his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers, and he demanded that they tell him what he had dreamed. As they stood before the king, 3 he said, "I have had a dream that deeply troubles me, and I must know what it means."
4 Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, "Long live the king! Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means."
5 But the king said to the astrologers, "I am serious about this. If you don't tell me what my dream was and what it means, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be turned into heaps of rubble! 6 But if you tell me what I dreamed and what the dream means, I will give you many wonderful gifts and honors. Just tell me the dream and what it means!"
7 They said again, "Please, Your Majesty. Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means."
8 The king replied, "I know what you are doing! You're stalling for time because you know I am serious when I say, 9 'If you don't tell me the dream, you are doomed.' So you have conspired to tell me lies, hoping I will change my mind. But tell me the dream, and then I'll know that you can tell me what it means."
10 The astrologers replied to the king, "No one on earth can tell the king his dream! And no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer! 11 The king's demand is impossible. No one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they do not live here among people."
12 The king was furious when he heard this, and he ordered that all the wise men of Babylon be executed. 13 And because of the king's decree, men were sent to find and kill Daniel and his friends.
14 When Arioch, the commander of the king's guard, came to kill them, Daniel handled the situation with wisdom and discretion. 15 He asked Arioch, "Why has the king issued such a harsh decree?" So Arioch told him all that had happened. 16 Daniel went at once to see the king and requested more time to tell the king what the dream meant."
