Day Seventy-five

Daniel—A man of Consistency in Prayer

⁶ So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: “O King Darius, live forever!  ⁷ The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. ⁸ Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” ⁹ So King Darius put the decree in writing. ¹⁰ Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem.  Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. (Daniel 6:6-12)

Just as he had done before.  This phrase at the end of verse ten packs such a strong punch.  In six short words, we are shown the type of man Daniel was.  He was a man that had spent enough time with His Savior in the past to know that he wasn’t about to let a day go by without doing so.  This verse also sheds light on the fact that Daniel didn’t just spend focused time with God once a day—he habitually spent time with his Lord and Savior three times a day.  Daniel had wisely learned the value of having hard breaks in his day—a time to stop whatever he was doing to refocus his attention and efforts on his Lord.  Daniel 6:3 says that ‘Daniel so distinguished  himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.’  Daniel was such a man of integrity that he stood out among others.  He was set apart.  It’s no coincidence that when we— too— choose to set ourselves apart in solitude before our Lord, we will begin to display qualities that will set us apart from those around us. 

Recently, I have felt the Lord’s tender conviction in this area of my life.  I believe the Lord is asking me to establish a habit of having hard breaks throughout my day, too.  These hard breaks need not be focused on quantity—the amount of them or the amount of time they last—but on quality.  A time of knee bending.  A time of focus.  A time of thanks. 

Today, let’s intentionally stop what we are doing three different times today to specifically pray for the Deeper Still conference.  May the prayer below serve as our first stop:

Oh, Lord, we thank you for the example of Daniel in regards to prayer.  We thank you for his resolve, his courage and his consistency.  We thank you for an example of someone not giving into the pressure of the world around him.  Lord, please help me to stand steadfast for You among the people around me.  Let me stand strong for righteousness yet do so with loving-kindness and grace.  I pray for those around me who don’t know you Lord—I pray specifically for _______________.    I pray their eyes would be open to your son Jesus and what it means to truly know You.   Maybe you want me to invite someone to Deeper Still, or buy someone a ticket...if this is the case, Lord, then lay it on my heart.  I pray that You would show me how to be the hands and feet of Jesus to them so that they’ll see You.  Lord, burden my Spirit to pray at least two more times today for the Deeper Still conference.  May the many prayers offered up in your name for the women attending it be a pleasing aroma to You; may you move on behalf of the prayers of many! 

In Jesus Name,
Amen.