We did it. We admit it.
Daniel really gets on his knees and appeals to God's mercy in today's reading.
This time, it's not just one man confessing his sins... It's one man approaching God in the hopes that He will forgive an entire nation! From the passages we've read so far, it's interesting to see how specific and explicit Daniel gets when he verbalizes his regrets...
Daniel calls it like it is, even though he himself is not the guilty party. He humbles himself, he calls it sin, and he repeatedly begs God. I love the words of verse 9:18 - "We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy."
So true. Any true confession must express my utter dependance on the perfection and goodness of God. I always fall short, I always have something to confess, I always need to seek Him for help.
Daniel has spent time reflecting on the way his people - the Jews - had abandoned God. Although He had blessed them, taken care of them, and given them specific guidelines on the best way to live... they still rebelled. How many times is the concept of "rebellion" mentioned, just in these few verses?
Here's a passage that makes me want to pray for my country more... Makes me want to ask God's forgiveness for some of the evils we've seen and done. Makes me realize our need to get divine help by asking Him - rather than just "worrying" about the future or the economy. There are so many problems around us, and it would be silly to think that any human strategy is capable of a fix.
So we pray for God's blessing. We look inside our own hearts, and inside our own nation, and say, "God, please guide us, bless us, forgive us..."
David asks God to listen, to forgive, and to act - rescue His people. Not because they are worth it, but because God is loving and compassionate. God has the opportunity to show love and power for the sake of His name, His people, His reputation...
Our lives, our prayers, and our response to sin - personal and community sin - must seek to bring glory and honor to God first, and not to ourselves.
What does Daniel's prayer say to you, personally, about repentance or confession?
Are there things that we as Americans should ask forgiveness for?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment