Reading Plan:
Daniel 9


Our Thoughts:
Daniel does something amazing in this chapter that can be easily missed because it's such a common part of our lives as Christians. Almost the whole chapter of Daniel 9 is Daniel's prayer for himself and his people. Prayer is something that most of us have encountered at some point. Even if you aren’t a follower of Jesus, chances are you've been exposed to the prayers of someone else. Let's look at how Daniel intentionally prepares for prayer.

Through your reading, you’ve probably noticed that Daniel prays very frequently and even when in imminent danger. What I want us to notice here is the way Daniel postures himself when praying. First, Daniel spends time in the scripture (Daniel 9:2). This gives him context about the topic of his prayer. Next, Daniel prepares himself to talk to God. In Daniel 9:3, we see Daniel plead, fast, wear rough burlap, and cover himself with ashes. These practices are symbolic of repentance in the Old Testament. The ashes that he sprinkled on himself are an act of humility and a reminder that mankind is below even the dirt without God. This sets the foundation for Daniel’s prayer. Daniel is coming to God with three things: knowledge and guidance from scripture, devotion to God through fasting, and a repentant heart. Through these sincere actions, Daniel has prepared himself for an intimate and meaningful time of prayer with God. This is so special to me and my prayer life. Don't miss the significance of this for your prayers as well. Daniel prepared his mind and heart for his time of prayer with God. His attention is on one thing only, and that’s his Father.

At last, we see Daniel begin to pray, praising the great and awesome God and confessing his sins and iniquities (Daniel 9:4). Daniel set his focus on worship and relying on God through all things, including his prayer.


More Questions:
How do you posture or prepare yourself to pray?
In what ways can you be open to God through prayer?


Prayer:
God, I recognize that without You, I am below dust. But You are an awesome God and your love never waivers. Even though we don’t deserve it, we receive your needed grace in our lives, and I pray that you open our hearts and our minds so that we may only focus on You. God, we love you. Amen.


Author: Austin Sines