Remember Daniel? —the young teen carried off to captivity in Babylon? —who purposed not to defile himself by all the godlessness around him? —interpreter of dreams? —the lions’ den guy? Remember him?
Well, in chapter 9 of his book he’s eighty-something years old, wearing sackcloth, covered with ashes, fasting, praying, and confessing sins. And not just any sins! Heinous acts of iniquity—all sorts of wickedness and unfaithfulness. What gives? Has he fallen?
Unbelievably, righteous Daniel is confessing the sins of his people as if they were his own! That’s the work of a true intercessor!
Tomorrow is our National Day of Prayer. I think Daniel has provided us with a template on how to pray for our own wicked, God-forsaking, righteousness-hating country.
Would you join me tomorrow in praying through Daniel chapter 9:1-19 and owning the sins of our land? I suggest a slow, careful read, adapting each verse into your own prayer that fits the particulars of our day and time. Like Daniel, let’s humble ourselves before God, confess our sordid transgressions, repent of our foul iniquities, repudiate our revolt against Him, deplore the shame of our spiritual nakedness, and lament our arrogance.
Someone once said, “History belongs to the intercessors.” Friends, let’s labor together on our knees and implore God for an awakening, for repentance, and a forestalling of the judgment we deserve.