It is most remarkable to read Daniel’s prayer in his 9th chapter.
If you started reading the book there, not having any idea of what happened in chapters 1-6, you would have a very different mental picture of his character. You would think he was a despicable person just turning to God after a life of horrible sin.
But that wasn’t Daniel. He was godly. Not perfect, but exemplary in faith and courage.
Yet in his prayer he repeatedly includes himself in the terrible wickedness of the nation and asks for mercy. He is not playing around or trying to manipulate God. He is honestly accepting part of the responsibility for the judgment that has fallen on the nation. At the end of his prayer he asks the Lord to cause his face to shine once again on the sanctuary and his people.
We too may be tempted to pray with a finger pointed only at those actively and currently involved in our nation’s moral descent.
Perhaps it would be better to humble ourselves and follow the example of one of our Biblical heroes. God put his prayer in the Bible for a reason.
May we have the wisdom to learn.
Daniel 9 (v.17)
If you started reading the book there, not having any idea of what happened in chapters 1-6, you would have a very different mental picture of his character. You would think he was a despicable person just turning to God after a life of horrible sin.
But that wasn’t Daniel. He was godly. Not perfect, but exemplary in faith and courage.
Yet in his prayer he repeatedly includes himself in the terrible wickedness of the nation and asks for mercy. He is not playing around or trying to manipulate God. He is honestly accepting part of the responsibility for the judgment that has fallen on the nation. At the end of his prayer he asks the Lord to cause his face to shine once again on the sanctuary and his people.
We too may be tempted to pray with a finger pointed only at those actively and currently involved in our nation’s moral descent.
Perhaps it would be better to humble ourselves and follow the example of one of our Biblical heroes. God put his prayer in the Bible for a reason.
May we have the wisdom to learn.
Daniel 9 (v.17)
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