Day 13: Morning, Noon and Evening
Today, we will think about Daniel, a man of God, person of prayer, prophet, dream interpreter and king's advisor in his spare time. Because of the Lord's favour upon him, King Darius put Daniel in charge of the kingdom. Such favour attracted jealousy, resulting in others conspiring to throw him to the lions. We know that Daniel was uncompromising in that He refused to renounce prayer to Yahweh in Babylonian culture. He would not order his prayer life according to the foreign land's culture, customs and expectations. He also boldly went to the king to interpret dreams that others couldn't and saved the lives of his friends.
In response to the news that Jerusalem must lie desolate for 70 years, Daniel 9 records his prayer of intercession, one of his most well-known prayers. Verse 3 says, "So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition…" In verses 5-14, Daniel acknowledges that God's punishment is deserved, and in verses 15-16, Daniel repents and asks for forgiveness. Verse 23 describes a messenger from God saying how precious Daniel is, that he is highly esteemed and heard.
Where was Daniel's faith, boldness, and uncompromising focus found? How can we become a people who fast, believe and walk in boldness these days?
I believe the answer is found in Daniel 6:10, “Three times a day, he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” He most likely prayed morning, noon and evening because that's exactly what King David did (Psalms 55:16-17). We also read of Peter praying three times per day; these times were even referred to as the "hours of prayer" in the New Testament (Acts 2:15, Acts 3:1 and Acts 10:9).
In Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools, Tyler Staton writes: “Have you ever wondered how the apostles were able to gather their scattered congregations for emergency prayer meetings in a huge city in a world before cell phones? The most likely explanation is that they were already gathering for prayer at set points throughout the day.”
Daniel was a man of prayer with a disciplined prayer rhythm. This is not a prescriptive model of prayer but rather a description of what happens when we live in a place of a disciplined prayer rhythm.
God worked in Darius’ life, and he acknowledged the miraculous power of God. In verse 26, Darius wrote, “I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end. He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.” The word fear that King Darius used means more than being afraid; it means that everyone should be "amazed, surprised, astonished, filled with wonder, filled with reverence, full of worship" for God.
Lord, thank you for offering us many models of prayer throughout scripture, and that Daniel shows us the rhythm of prayer that ultimately brought a decree to everyone throughout the kingdom. Lord, I pray that we would live amazed, surprised, astonished, and filled with wonder, reverence, and worship for you. Amen.
Reflect and Respond
Meditate
“God said to him, ‘Do not fear, Daniel, for, from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words [prayers] were heard.’” (Daniel 10:12)
