STAY TRUE
Daniel has always been a person in the Bible that I have looked up to. I have honestly been genuinely inspired by how he lived.
Life can be tough at times and it’s obvious but still true to say that God never promised that we would go through life without any heartache and pain. The story of Daniel always manages to encourage me especially at times when I feel down. It really has helped to pull me out of a pit on quite a few occasions!
Just think about Daniel's life for a moment. He was probably still of school age when his homeland was conquered and he was taken into captivity. Daniel was dragged in chains back to Babylon, he was made to serve, he was physically damaged (Eunuch), he was pressured to give up his culture, go against his beliefs and yet he stayed true to God!
Wow what a young man of character and genuine resilience!
I also forgot to mention that Daniel also had to navigate his way through a foreign and morally bankrupt culture becoming a trusted person to the king and yet through it all he still stayed true to God!
I love that in Chapter 9 of the book of Daniel, after a life of constant battles it speaks of Daniel still praying big prayers even at a ripe old age of 82! He may be near to the end of his life but his faith shows no signs of slowing down. I love that! I love that age is no barrier to Daniel!
In the story it shows Daniel making preparations to pray a big prayer by fasting, dressing in sackcloth and sprinkling ashes on his head. Now this may seem weird and certainly not what we are used to in the culture of our day but throughout the Bible, we see in moments of grief or repentance that there are plenty of examples of this happening. It certainly makes me question what lengths I would go to; to be right with God and it seems apt that today is Ash Wednesday. You may or may not know that today signals the start of a season for many Christians called Lent.
Lent is meant to be a time of reflection and repentance. In some ways a time to Pray, fast and at least in our attitude put on both ‘sackcloth and ashes’! Now that’s not supposed to be a feeling of shame but an awareness that sin separates us from God and it is also supposed to remind us of what it cost God to be reunited with us.
Fasting is already a significant part for many people during Lent. Fasting is only for this world, for stretching our hearts to get fresh air beyond the pain and trouble around us. And it is for the battle against the sin and weakness inside us. When we choose to fast in Lent it can have many different approaches but it still has the same overall intention of intimacy through sacrifice.
Now before all the theologians amongst you say anything, yes it is quite right that Lent isn’t compulsory and I agree that it doesn’t tell you in the Bible to do this so even as a Church we do not make a special focus on it. However I do love how Lent is a time to refocus our hearts and minds on Jesus. To take time to reflect on his journey to the cross on Good Friday and His resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Can I also confess that I have not done this religiously over the years; It has only been when I have felt led to do so.
This year both Valda and I feel a real pull to do this, we believe it’s a significant time for a whole host of reasons and it’s just a good way to focus our hearts and minds more fully on Jesus! So for us all those luxury/comfort snacks and drinks are all out….bye bye fizzy drinks, Chocolate, Crisps and sweets! Believe me that is a challenge for us both!
Getting back to Daniel and why he can help us both now and through Lent is because of his approach to prayer. I believe that Daniel’s actions can be a great example to us during this season of Lent and the journey towards Easter weekend! Daniel's attitude in prayer just inspires me as he was someone who could have been so full of self importance due to his role, the journey he had been on and the influence he had but that wasn’t part of Daniel’s character in fact Daniel seems more focused on his people than himself!
I really would encourage you to read chapter 9 and the full prayer but for this blog I just want to highlight that Daniel:
Turned to God. He was intentional and determined about praying to God. He knew that the freedom of his people should be coming to an end (Jeremiah prophesying 70 yrs in captivity) but yet he couldn’t see it happening in the physical! He knew his breakthrough was only available in the spiritual and the answer would come through God. So he turned and went to God.
He came to God humbly, he pleaded with him through fasting, sackcloth and ashes. His whole stance was one of Humility he knew that both himself and his people needed to be walking with God honorably and free of sin, so he came asking for forgiveness before anything else; both for his people and himself.
He turned to God for the sake of others. He recognised without a doubt that God can and does rule over us. Daniel understood that being defeated and taken into exile for decades was fair and deserved. However he still came asking for mercy so that his people could be freed from their exile. He was coming to God on behalf of an entire nation.
I love how Daniel turned to God, came humbly to Him and it was all for the sake of others. For over 17 verses of Chapter 9 we can clearly see the outpouring of Daniel’s heart through the words that he used in prayer. His actual ask for the freedom of his people is left till the end of the prayer and even then it’s done with reverence when he asks God to ‘Look with favor’ on his request! Quite simply, I think that this is a great way to approach all prayer but especially in this season of Lent.
“We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! “
I know in this season of lent Valda and myself want Daniel's approach to prayer to be the way we approach God; intentional, humble and focused on others! To stay true to God! I hope it might be an encouragement or even a little nudge to make your own approach to God this Lent season.
By Simon Rushton 22nd Feb 2023
