Well, in this morning's reading, we have Daniel 8:14, one of the most significant verses for Seventh-day Adventist. But my focus today is not going to be on the "cleansing of the sanctuary," nor on the 70 week prophecy of Daniel 9 (I'll save that commentary for the scholars) but rather my focus is going to be on Daniel's life and the heart of his prayers.
Daniel was such an earnest and steadfast man of God... and in Daniel 9 we see a beautiful example of the heart of Daniel as he prayed. Here's just a brief glimpse of that prayer -- but I encourage you to read the whole chapter.
"And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land...O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us. Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake. O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies."
Oh that we could pray like Daniel. We are not worthy, we do not present our supplications for our righteousness sake, but because of thy great mercies...
Interesting side note: If you take time to analyze the full prayer, we see all the components of "United Prayer" in Daniel's prayer: We see praise, worship, confession, supplication, and more praise... beautiful!
I love what Ellen White writes regarding Daniel's life:
"The prophet Daniel was an example of true sanctification. His long life was filled up with noble service for his Master. He was a man “greatly beloved” (Daniel 10:11) of Heaven. Yet instead of claiming to be pure and holy, this honored prophet identified himself with the really sinful of Israel as he pleaded before God in behalf of his people: “We do not present our supplications before Thee for our righteousness, but for Thy great mercies.” “We have sinned, we have done wickedly.” He declares: “I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people.” And when at a later time the Son of God appeared, to give him instruction, Daniel says: “My comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.” Daniel 9:18, 15, 20; 10:8. (Great Controversy, p. 470)May we like Daniel, recognize our littleness and our utter desperate need of our Savior. May we cling to His mercies and claim His mercies. This is our only hope...
Tomorrow's Reading: Daniel 10-12 and Ps. 135-136
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