"O Lord, hear! O Lord forgive! O Lord, listen and take action!" Daniel 9:19
Enjoy reading Daniel 9 (and 5 & 6)
Daniel, a teenage exile from Judah, spent his life serving and honoring God in a foreign land. His faith & resolve carried him through the years of serving under ungodly kings and living in a society of riches and indulgence. Although Babylon became his home, his heart was forever with his God and the nation that had faced divine punishment. This is evident in Daniel's urgent & moving prayer in chapter nine.
Daniel had recently witnessed a quick change in power of the Babylonian Empire. Before this event, Daniel's experience with messages, visions & interpretations from God were those in which the prophetic outcome were years in the making. Not so, in this particular instance. Daniel's words from God gave no time indication, but the outcome took place the very night the message was spoken. Although I believe Daniel was wise in the prophecies of his native spiritual leaders, I believe this event planted an urgent need in his heart to search God's Word for His plan. He didn't waste a moment. Reading the words and schedule of God's plan sent Daniel to his knees in urgent prayer.
Daniel knew it was time for change and he also knew God's people were not worthy of what He was about to set in motion. Daniel's heart was burdened with the sins of the people and he humbly includes himself in this rebellion. I find Daniel's prayer touchingly honest, loving and full of faith in His God to answer. (And what an extraordinary prayer it is when God sends an angel to interrupt!)
Daniel's prayer is the beginning of many things- good and bad; but, because of it, Daniel was prepared. God orchestrated the decree which would allow the exiled Jews to return to Judah, but not before Daniel faced punishment for the very life of prayer he lived. I find Daniel's faith to be incredible. He may have found himself wearied and burdened at times, but his faith in God's power never wavered. Daniel's prayer & steadfast faith brought honor, favor and change in his life and the lives of so many other people.
To be sure, every prayer we offer to God may not call for urgency, but I have seen God move in response to faith-filled urgent prayer. Although not recorded, I believe God was speaking "it's time" to Daniel, the night of Belshazzar's demise. Oh, to be like Daniel- ready to pray when we sense God is orchestrating something in our lives- or the lives of others!
You or I may never see or be part of a historical event like Daniel witnessed, but God is concerned with the life and times of every individual person. If we sense "it's time", we shouldn't let the moment go by, but search His word and hit our knees in prayer. I know we will be amazed at how God will move and prepare us for things to come.
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