Ask God

“So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.” (Daniel 9:3, NASB95)

Much can be accomplished when God’s people fall on their knees to pray, and now is the time to pray. Billy Graham once said, “To get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees.” This is exactly what Daniel did as a godly man in an ungodly world.

Daniel was a man of prayer and lived a life of devotion toward Yahweh God. As a young adult, he was taken from his home, shipped out to a foreign land that was idolatrous and ungodly, and yet Daniel determined to remain loyal to Yahweh God, pray and seek Him. Daniel was not only a man of prayer but also a man that was dedicated to the word of God. In chapter 9 of the book of Daniel, we are told that Daniel had studied the prophecies of Jeremiah and realize that there were only three years left of the 70 year exile for the nation. This realization moved Daniel to pray and seek the Lord for the restoration of the nation.

Daniel’s appeal for the nation first began with personal confession. “Now while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel (vs.20). Daniel was confessing his own sin as well as the sin of the nation. It is interesting that Daniel was a righteous man, but confesses that he is a sinner. This brings up a great point, “does God hear the prayer of a sinner?” The answer is yes; God does hear the prayer of the sinner and the cry of the broken heart (Psalm 51:17). We all are sinners, and God hears all prayers. In fact, God not only heard Daniel’s prayer but while he was praying, God sent Gabriel with an answer to his prayer, “while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. (vs.21)”

What was the answer given to Daniel? God is in control and has a plan. God will show mercy and limit His judgment. The goal of God’s judgment is to put an end to sin and, in grace, offer atonement for sin to bring people into everlasting righteousness. (vs.24) Daniel’s prayer didn’t change the will of God; it revealed the will of God. Daniel received understanding because he prayed.

If you are distressed because of the chaos that surrounds you, have confidence that you can go to God in prayer, make your requests known, and He will answer you.


Leave a Reply

^