Christian Devotional – May 11, 2016

Read Daniel chapter 9

VERSE:

Daniel 9:18–“Give ear, our 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.”

TRUTH:

This chapter has a beautiful confession prayer by Daniel. He is praying for his country and for himself that God would forgive and restore His people, not because of anything that the people did, but because of who God is. You see, Daniel uses this verse to remind God that His people are just that, His people. They bear His name and other countries know them as the people of God. Daniel also realizes that there’s nothing that the people can do to prove their worth or entitlement to God, so He is asking that God intervene based on who god is and not on who the people are. Do we recognize who God is and ask Him to work and move based on Him, or are we only praying based on ourselves? As His children (John 1:12), we bear His name. We are not righteous and able to ask for things based on our own merit, but He graciously gives to us based on who He is.

RESPONSE:

Father, hear my cry and forgive me for thinking that I am more than I am. I have no entitlement and there’s nothing that I deserve from You except death. Thank You for Your mercy toward me and I pray that You will continue to work and move in my life based on who You are and Your name, and not based on anything that I might have done.