I want to share one of the most awesome responses to prayer I have ever heard. It involved Daniel, a man of unwavering faith in God, and is recorded in the biblical book named after him.
Da 9:1-4 "In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;"
His prayer to God included heartfelt confessions on behalf of himself and his people, for the sins they had committed. He admitted their rebellion against the prophets and acknowledged that their captivity in Babylon was the result of their disregard for the commandments of their creator. While he continued praying in this manner, something remarkable happened.
Da 9:21-23 "Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision."
Can any of us imagine such an awesome answer to prayer, so immediate? Do we understand the full scope of what happened here? As Daniel began praying, even before he had barely begun, the angel Gabriel was dispatched from heaven by God to go to him and reveal the meaning of the prophecies spoken by Jeremiah, the prophet. Later, Daniel was the recipient of one of the greatest prophecies recorded in scripture, one that spanned the ages culminating in the return of our Lord.
If ever we had assurance that prayer changes things, this would have to be at the top of the list. Can we have such an experience today? Yes, I think we can, if we are as dedicated in our obedience to God as was Daniel. If we read the entirety of the book of Daniel, we see a man whose faith never wavered. His prayer was one of praise, humility, confession, repentance and a call for understanding. It was not a request for personal gain. His focus was exclusively on knowing God and his will. He acknowledged God’s power and awesome glory.
Also, he was known to be a man of unceasing prayer, entering his chamber three times a day, bowing before his creator with his face toward Jerusalem. Even after the king’s decree that all petitions made to any god for thirty days other than himelf, Daniel openly continued his daily prayers to his God. Although his dedication to prayer did result in his being thrown into a lion's den, the same dedication ultimately saved his life and brought glory and honor to God..
Daniel 6:25-26 “Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.”
His great faith remains such an example for all of us. May we emulate Daniel’s dedication to God and reap the kind of relationship with him that he was blessed with.
No comments:
Post a Comment