“I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes” (Dan. 9:3).
People view prayer differently. For some it is a last resort after all human options have been exhausted: “All I can do now is pray for you!” Others liken it to a spiritual spare tire–something used only in the event of an emergency. Many who should thrive on prayer have been lulled into complacency by an affluent and godless society.
Daniel, however, saw prayer as an opportunity to express the passion and fervency of his heart to the God he loved and served. In Daniel 9:3 he says, “I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him.” That implies he set apart a specific time to devote to thoughtful, earnest, and fervent prayer. That is further supported by the way he prepared himself through fasting and donning sackcloth and ashes–symbols of humility and deep contrition over sin.
It might seem unusual for a man of Daniel’s spiritual stature to be overwhelmed by his sense of sin, but the closer one draws to God, the more aware he is of his sinfulness. We see that in Paul, who called himself the foremost of all sinners (1 Tim. 1:15). That might seem like a ridiculous statement to us but Paul saw sin for what it was. So did Daniel.
The title “Lord God” in verse 3 emphasizes God’s sovereign rule over all things. Daniel knew that God had permitted the Babylonian Captivity and that He alone could deliver His people from it. Consequently, Daniel gave the Lord his undivided attention as he prayed and sought mercy for himself and his people.
Daniel’s fervency is a rebuke to much of the flippancy we hear in prayer today. It was profound because it was generated by God’s Word and grounded in His will.
James 5:16 says, “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (KJV). Be like Daniel–a righteous person who prays fervently with great effect.
Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God to give you a greater sense of fervency in prayer.
Be sensitive to any sin that might be hindering your prayers.
For Further Study: Read Luke 11:5-13.
What parable did Jesus tell to illustrate the benefits of humble, persistent prayer?
How did Jesus contrast earthly fathers with their heavenly Father?
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Reblogged this on My Delight and My Counsellors.
Could you elaborate on a couple things? How can sin hinder prayer? Should not prayer, following sin, be the first step towards reconciliation? Would not God want to speak to you about it immediately and give you full support?
Second, how can God give you a greater sense of fervency? Isn’t that up to you? If He can just give that to you, then does He really recognize it as any really increased devotion?
Thank You for using the Devotions on my Blog; To answer your first question – I think MacArthur was saying to be careful of any sin that you may have that you have not taken care of yet. “Be sensitive to any sin that might be hindering your prayers” was the line He used and I take it to mean that we all have things that could be sinful desires or habits that cause our mind to wander during prayer or occupy our time stopping us from praying…Next I believe That MacArthur reminds us that We can always ask God for help. Through the Holy Spirit He can remind us when we need to pray or to pray more often and to increase the time we spend in prayer. Which will encourage us to be more fervent in our prayers in all ways. I am sure there maybe other “takes” on the meaning of these two lines about “sin hindering Prayer” and “Fervency in Prayer”. If you still seek answers, ask in prayer and it will be cleared up in some future Bible study, Preacher’s message or in another Devotional. I find many answers to these types of questions myself; by waiting and watching… God Bless – Bro Bo