Daniel 9 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.
3 Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.
It is very obvious that Daniel, a man of prayer, was really serious about this particular burden. First, it was grounded in the Word of God. It was not just the course of events, or individuals, or the way he felt; it was scripture coming alive. Secondly, Daniel went all out. He "turned his face" away from everything and everyone else that would distract him, so he could seek God, and only God. Thirdly, used prayer and pleas - deliberate statements of faith, as well as frantic cries for help and understanding. Finally, he accompanied these prayers and pleas with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. All of these "rituals" were not to impress anyone, including God. They were meant to detract from his own self- body, soul and spirit - so he had no distractings in hearing what God had to say. The next result of this prayer at the end of the chapter would be one of the most profound (and debated) prophesies of the Old Testament. Daniel only received it because of his intense investment in prayer. Do we really want to know? Do we want to know what God wants from us and what He has for us? It will require som power-packed praying.
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