"Heard"
Sep. 24, 2019
And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. And he said to me, "O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you." And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. Then he said to me, "Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words."
~ Daniel 10:10-12 (ESV)
The prophet Daniel was a Jewish man living in exile in the land of Babylon. He was a government official, but he loved and served the Lord, and he never forgot the situation of his own people, the Jewish exiles. He was painfully aware that God had sent them far away from their own land because they kept following false gods, and he knew that God had promised He would bring them home again after 70 years. So when he knew the time was almost up, Daniel began praying and fasting and seeking God with all his heart.
Think about that for a moment. This is a man, a single man, who has spent pretty much his entire life almost 2,000 miles from home. His whole career has been spent among strangers, working in a foreign government, speaking a foreign language. He is one cog in the vast Babylonian empire. And yet he prays. He cries out to God asking for help. And when he seems to get no answer, for such a long time, he still goes on praying.
That is where this Bible passage starts. An angel has finally come to Daniel—and Daniel is totally overwhelmed. He collapses. The angel has to pick him up and strengthen him. He calls him "Daniel, man greatly loved" by God—how wonderful!—and he says, "Stand up, for now I have been sent to you. From the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words."
I wonder how long it took Daniel to get over that. A great and glorious angel was standing there saying, "I have come because of your words." I think I would have fainted from the shock.
What about you? How seriously do you take prayer? It is an incredible gift we have been given. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God," says the Lord (Philippians 4:6). "Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you," He says (Jeremiah 29:12). And John reminds us, "This is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us" (1 John 5:14).
Why should this be? There is only one reason—because God has loved us and has given His Son Jesus to become our Savior. We are not outsiders and strangers anymore. Now that we have come to trust in Jesus, He has made us children of God Himself. And any good father hears his children when they call. Small and weak as we are, God listens to us. Let's thank Him for the privilege of prayer—and use it, too!
THE PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for letting us pray to You through Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
- Would you be surprised if an angel popped up in your room? Why or why not?
- What is easiest for you about praying?
- What is hardest for you about praying?
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Would you be surprised if an angel popped up in your room?
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