I’ve heard it said, “If you want to stand before man, you’ll need to kneel before God.” In other words, kneeling before God is what gives you the strength to stand before man.
“Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before” (Dan. 6:10, NIV).
For Daniel, prayer was built into his schedule. Prayer was a life-giving rhythm. Imagine being so committed to those exercises that you’d rather be fed to the lions than to change them! We can easily focus on the prayers Daniel prayed in the lions’ den, but we can’t forget that it was praying that put him there in the first place.
Daniel wasn’t legalistic about his prayer rhythms; he was passionately devoted to them. Why? Because living for the glory of God in a godless land required supernatural courage and wisdom. Consistent prayer was how Daniel stayed connected to God in a powerful way.
What would your day look like if it began with prayerful acknowledgement of God’s bigness, that your life was in His hands? What would it look like if you regularly stopped midday and checked in with God about your heart, plans and cares? And, what if you concluded your day with prayerful reflection, thanks and praise—not because you had to, but because you were desperately in need of His power? Surely a mighty move of the Lord would be present, and His will would be evident in your life.
Prayer + Reflection
1. Set aside time each morning this week to prayerfully submit to God, each afternoon to gently tell Him your feelings, and each evening to reflect and praise Him for His provision.
2. What obstacles stand in the way of you having an unhurried, undistracted priority of prayer? Confess any to God that you have placed there, and ask Him to intervene with those you cannot change.
3. Daniel’s prayers were for not only his own sustenance and formation, but also for the people of God to be revived. Pray for the church, that God’s people would return to our first love, Jesus.
4. Please ask for divine leading and careful prayer as The Foursquare Church executive team and cabinet begin meetings next week. Lift up the leadership of the church, and ask God to help us find new ways to reach people with the gospel worldwide.
Share your thoughts. See comments below, and add your own.
