Praying At The CrossroadsMuestra

The Prayer of Daniel

Most of the time people don’t talk about their moral failures. Anger, theft, and sinful thoughts aren’t the type of details you post online about yourself. You don’t mention them in job interviews. However, when Daniel prayed, he put his sin and the sin of Israel on full display. He confessed all of the ways they had done wrong. He didn’t hide their sins or try to reason his way out of responsibility. He confessed all of their sins directly, truthfully, and humbly. His prayer in Daniel 9:4-19 reminds us that God is serious about our sin. It reminds us that we’re to bring our sin to God without trying to hide it or minimize it. It also reminds us that He’s ready to forgive.

When Daniel saw the sin of his people, he was overwhelmed. He knew God’s people weren’t enjoying the life God wanted because they had rejected God and hadn’t obeyed Him. Daniel’s heart ached for them to have a renewed relationship with God. Prayers in the Bible don’t mask feelings. They often exhibit sadness, burdens, and heartache. Daniel wore sackcloth and ashes to display his emotions and his commitment to repent before God. 

Daniel prayed that God would forgive and restore His people. He prayed that God would be faithful to His promises. He didn’t pray on the basis of his goodness or of his intention to do something for God. He didn’t come with selfish motives, thinking he could use God to get something else. Because he knew Scripture, he knew God’s character and promises. He also knew his own character in comparison to God’s. Knowing that God was committed to His people, Daniel prayed that God would keep His promises.

When we pray to God, we can confess our sins instead of hiding them. When we’ve done wrong, we don’t have to hide our sin. We don’t have to fear God will reject us. We can admit wrongdoing because we know God is kind and merciful. Daniel prayed and confessed because he believed God had abundant compassion. He believed God loved His people and would forgive them.