SEPTEMBER 12 – Reading 255

by John Christian Pra | September 12

“CALLED TO PRAY”
(Daniel 8:1-27; Daniel 5:1 – 6:28; Daniel 9:1-27)

“Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.”  – Daniel 9:3

What you choose to do first in any given situation reveals what you trust in most. When presented with a challenge or situation, what is your gut reaction? What do you do before you do anything else? For many people, their first course of action is talk to someone that can help them process it. Others choose the quiet route and prefer to think on it for some time before making a decision. Still others will go straight to Google to see what experts (or so-called experts) have to say. 

What we do first reveals what we believe will help us most. For Daniel, his first reaction was prayer. The people of Israel had now been in captivity for seventy years and this triggered a response from Daniel. The prophet Jeremiah had prophesied that Israel would be in bondage for seventy years, but then the Lord would deliver them from their exile. Daniel perceives this (v. 2) and his first step is to turn to God. 

Daniel doesn’t sign a petition to bring to the king, he doesn’t rally the people to inspire them about what they need to do to go back to the Promised Land, he doesn’t start strategizing to create a five-step plan to get their freedom back. He prays. He fasts. He looks to God. 

This reveals to us Daniel’s belief that prayer is the greatest action we can take. Most see prayer as a passive response, but in reality, true prayer accesses power beyond what we could ever do in our own strength. Prayer invites God into our situation. Most of us are more comfortable leaving God out of things and living with a handicap because of it. As Oswald Chambers once said, “Prayer does not fit us for the greater works; prayer is the greater work.” 

You are called to pray, not as a last resort or as a preparation to do the real stuff. You are called to pray because prayer is more powerful than we could dare imagine. Prayer is the path to intimacy with God and the path to power from God. Let today be the day where you answer the call to pray. 

Reflections:

• How have you viewed the importance of prayer in your life?

   

• What are some answers to prayer you have witnessed in your life these last few months?

   

Application: 

• Start praying about things throughout your day (small and large) and ask God to intervene in your life in ways that you are able to see.

   

• Begin to keep a prayer journal where you record answers to prayer in order to give thanks and glory to God.

   

• Set aside time each day to pray and commune with God this week. Start with at least 15 minutes.

   

Closing Prayer:
Almighty God, thank you that you hear my prayer and that you have called me to pray. I recognize that I am small in prayer, but I ask that you would increase my perception and desire for prayer. Help me see that this is a call you have put on my life: to be a person of prayer. I repent for turning to other people or things before I turn to you. Today, I choose to make prayer a lifestyle, not an option. Teach me to pray without ceasing. I need you, Jesus. In your name I pray, Amen.