There's Power in Praying Friends!

The names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego typically go hand-in-hand with the image of a fiery furnace. However, I recently noticed a significant story about these men that I had never paid attention to before. 

In Daniel 2 King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that he desperately wanted someone to explain to him. He called the astrologers, sorcerers, magicians, and enchanters but none of them could help him. The king was so angry, he ordered that every wise man in Babylon be killed. Because of this order, soldiers were sent to kill Daniel and his friends because they were known to be wise. Daniel handled the situation with composure and calmness, requesting that the king give him the opportunity to explain the meaning of the dream. The king allowed it.

Daniel 2:17-19 (NIV) says, "Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them His mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon. That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven."

The friends mentioned in that passage are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They had been given Babylonian names by the king's chief of staff in Daniel 1.

Daniel was in a situation where only God could meet his need. He could have worried and given up. He could have shouted it from the roof tops and complained. He could have kept it to himself and prayed alone. But what he chose to do is what saved him and all the other wise men in Babylon. He asked his closest, most trustworthy friends to pray with him. The minute these godly men began praying, the fight had already been won!

Not only did God reveal the meaning of the dream, sparing all the wise men's lives, but Daniel 2:48-49 tells us that Daniel was honored with many gifts and even a promotion as ruler over the whole province of Babylon. Daniel was then able to appoint Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be in charge of province's affairs. Just look at what the prayers of those four faithful friends resulted in! 

God hears our individual prayers, there's no doubt about that! But there is something special about godly friends coming together in prayer! If you have praying friends, you are truly blessed! Make sure to keep praying for one another often! If you don't have friends that you know will go to the Lord in prayer on your behalf, I encouraged you to join a small group at your church, start attending a Bible study in person or online, or simply start meeting with a group of Believers for coffee or even a phone call. There is so much power in the prayers of friends, and there always has been! This quick story in Daniel is proof of that!

Tori