Daniel's Prayer

 

Our Daniels, 1986
L-R my nephew Daniel, my son Daniel ("Dan")

"In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent) who was made ruler over the Babylonian Kingdom...I, Daniel,...turned to the Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes." (Daniel 9:1-3)

In 1985, my sweet sister-in-law and I were expecting babies at the same time and had the same boy name picked out: Daniel. (In those days, you didn't know if you were having a boy or girl until the birth day.) Because our baby was due first, I boasted, "Well, if we both have boys, whoever has the baby first gets the name."

When their Daniel came early and our baby was late, I asked Phillip, "Now what are we gonna do if we have a boy, too?"

My superman said, "Name him Daniel. One will be Daniel Watson in Kentucky and the other Dan Glassco in Louisiana. It won't be confusing for anybody but your folks."

Now, on to the point of the post.

After overthrowing the Assyrian Empire and its capitol of Nineveh in 612 B.C., Babylon led by King Nebuchadnezzar defeated the Egyptian armies in 605 B.C. and moved on to besiege Jerusalem. Young Daniel was among the captives carried back to Babylon.

In chapter 9 of the book of Daniel, some 70 years have passed and the Babylonian empire has fallen into the hands of the Medes and Persians. Still in captivity, now old Daniel prays for his nation:

"Alas, O LORD, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances ... Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord, but to us open shame...All this calamity has come on us; yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth...we have not obeyed Your voice...So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Your servant...and for Your sake...O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations...for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because...Your people are called by Your name."

And today, over twenty-five hundred years later, O Lord, we pray Daniel's prayer for the United States of America. O my God, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord take action for Your own name's sake and Your people who are called by Your name!