Daniel's prayer for his nation
Daniel was over 80 years old when he prayed his great prayer of intercession. He had been taken to Babylon when he was a young man, and seventy years later he writes down one of the prayers he had continually prayed for his nation.
His prayer was answered. The captives were allowed to return home. Did Daniel live to see it? If he did his rejoicing must have been two-fold. First that his people were set free and secondly that he had, by his prayers, been a part of their liberation.
Two things leap out from the story Daniel tells us. First he was told by a messenger from heaven that as soon as he began to pray an answer was given. Secondly that as soon as he set his mind to understand the scripture and learn God’s ways that his words were heard.
So if God hears us from the first time we begin to pray for someone why continue praying? Because the problem keeps happening, the situation continues, the person shows no sign of change. These things drive us to prayer. Because we are praying for someone other than ourselves there is little we can do to change things, except pray.
Some people give suggestions to God about how to do what we want to happen and other people laugh at them for thinking the Creator needs their advice. But better be laughed at than stop praying, and often our understanding of God does show us how he might be willing to work.
Most of us find it easy to pray about our own worries and concerns but an effort to pray about someone elses’ worries and concerns. Prayer is work. The same work that Jesus does in heaven on our behalf. God continues to love the people who love him and the people who reject him; by praying for our friends and enemies we integrate ourselves into his on-going work.
Daniel chapter 9 verse 23 and chapter 10 verse 12
His prayer was answered. The captives were allowed to return home. Did Daniel live to see it? If he did his rejoicing must have been two-fold. First that his people were set free and secondly that he had, by his prayers, been a part of their liberation.
Two things leap out from the story Daniel tells us. First he was told by a messenger from heaven that as soon as he began to pray an answer was given. Secondly that as soon as he set his mind to understand the scripture and learn God’s ways that his words were heard.
So if God hears us from the first time we begin to pray for someone why continue praying? Because the problem keeps happening, the situation continues, the person shows no sign of change. These things drive us to prayer. Because we are praying for someone other than ourselves there is little we can do to change things, except pray.
Some people give suggestions to God about how to do what we want to happen and other people laugh at them for thinking the Creator needs their advice. But better be laughed at than stop praying, and often our understanding of God does show us how he might be willing to work.
Most of us find it easy to pray about our own worries and concerns but an effort to pray about someone elses’ worries and concerns. Prayer is work. The same work that Jesus does in heaven on our behalf. God continues to love the people who love him and the people who reject him; by praying for our friends and enemies we integrate ourselves into his on-going work.
Daniel chapter 9 verse 23 and chapter 10 verse 12
posted by Jessie Coates at 11:07 PM
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