It's Anything But Dry
Daniel 9:17-19 NIV
"Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name."
I've often heard it said that the Bible is nothing but a dry, boring history. This is difficult for me to understand when I read passages like this one.
Can you see Daniel on his face before God, begging God to listen, pleading with Him to hear and to respond? Can you see his sackcloth and ashes, his tear-streaked face as he entreats the Lord to hear and to answer his prayer? Can you feel the anguish in his heart as he begs the Lord for favor?
Are your prayers emotionless litanies? Do you say the same things over and over again so often that the words are meaningless? Or do you pour out your heart to God each and every time you pray, baring your soul and your emotions to Him with every word? Which kind of prayer do you think is the kind He wants to hear?
Think about it - and have a blessed day.
Used with Permission
