Daniel 9:20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God, 21 while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. 23 At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision."
Daniel, burdened with the plight of His people and with Scriptural promises on his heart and mind, had committed himself to seek God's answer. He asked Him to listen, to forgive, and to act. While he was talking to God, he received His answer. Lots of times we treat prayer as dialing in a request with the hope of receiving a form letter later. We do it, forget about it, and wonder if God will too. But Daniel continues to pray, not giving up. And God answers WHILE he was praying. God talks back. Verse 22 is important: "He made me understand." God can clear up our thinking, answer our questions, and give us wisdom while we pray. What Daniel was about to receive was in part the answer to his plea, and a whole lot more. It fit well into the other experiences Daniel had had with God in prayer. When we pray, God can help us fit together the pieces of our past, as well as give understanding of the present and direction for the future. It doesn't usually happen over night, but with a life time and day-by-day time of praying. God may not give us the great visions of History He gave Daniel, but He will help us fit together the pieces of our lives as we need them, if we ask. So let's do more asking.
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