A humble prayer

Daniel identifies with sinners, Paul identifies with sinners. He said, “I am the chief of sinners”. What are we guilty of? Same thing the Israelites are guilty of:
“We have turned away from your commands and laws”
“We have not listened to your servants the prophets”
“All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you”. “We have sinned against you”
“We have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth”.

This is a seething judgment…all of us can take one of these sentences an apply them to our lives.
But here is redemption….
“The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving,”
What great mercy is this…that even though we have sinned, He has forgiven us.
One thing we always must remember sinnning has a cost.
First there is the consequence of sin. We see that in Israel….as she is judged and punished.

"Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster.”

The final cost or payment for sin was fully laid on and paid by the Lord Jesus Christ.
God's love for His own does not negate justice. Just as God disciplined Israel, he disciplines His own.
Scripture tells us:
“And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son." Hebrews 12:6

“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined?” Hebrew 12:7

“Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness by his father?” Hebrews 12:10

How many of us wish we did not have to discipline our kids? But we know that as we do, we are building godly character in them. The same holds true for God and His children. As He disciplines us, He is building Christ-like character.
Daniel understood that…As Christians we must see that also.
Can you and I see God's discipline in our own lives? How about our children's lives? How often do we want to run as mom's and get our kids out of a situation that they have gotten into? There are great lessons to be learned while we are being disciplined. To avoid them is just to prolong the learning. Instead, what if we prayed like Daniel prayed?
"Oh Lord listen!" Oh Lord forgive!"Oh Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay because your city and your people bear your name!"

Danile saw God's ultimate goal in disciplining His people. When God was done correcting His people, they would gloriously bear His name to all the other nations. God's reputation was as stake here...and when He was done His people would be a testimony to God's power, forgiveness and faithfulness.
Can you and I wait and let God have the time He needs to purify and restore those He is disciplining. Could He be doing that to you or me? Pray for strength that we may learn quickly! That our loved one would learn quickly...so the discipline would last for a while but the result a lifetime!

There is a story of a little boy who found two little cocoons in his backyard. He put them on his desk and day after day he watched for the butterflies to come out. The first one broke free within just a couple of days and when he woke up one morning the butterfly was flying around his room. So he eagerly waited for the second one. One afternoon he saw something within the cocoon breaking out. It was a struggle...it was messy and in his little mind that butterfly needed help. He could see part of the beautiful orange and black wing bent and it appeared crushed. So he took his little knife and gently tried to make a larger opening for the buttrefly to come out. Finally the butterfly broke free but it lay flopping on the desk. Kind of sad looking. He waited and at every attempt the butterfly could not staighten out. It could not fly but instead just flipped flopped from one side to the other.
Later the little boy found out in the process of the butterflies breaking out of the coocon the friction and pressure to get out builds the intricate wings and gives then srtength. By cutting the cocoon, which is where the friction and pressure comes from, the butterfly never developed those strong wings. the pushing its way out of the cocoon is literaly what strengthens the wings into their full measure.
That is what we try and do sometimes. Pull our loved ones out before full maturity. As our children stuggle and break through exerting great faith that pressure they are under is what builds their faith. Daniel understood that for Israel and he prayed in accordance to that.

What a great example to us.

Are you enjoying this look at prayers in the Bible? Which one has impacted you the most? Is there one you would like to cover? Let me know.

Heavenly Father...Just and righteous are your ways always. You dicipline those you love just for a while so we may bless your name. I thank you that your dicipline penetrate the hardest heart...only you can change our hearts. Help us to pray for those we love, whom you may be disciplining...that they would humble themelves and learn quickly. Thank you for your grace that is sufficient to carry us through. Thank you that the fullness of our sin's guilt and punishment fell on our Lord Jesus. Thank you that by His stripes we are healed. I pray for a Godly focus as I am disciplined.
I pray when the time is finished that we, your people would resonate your Glory. That we who bear your name would testify to your loving kindness towards us. You alone are worthy of all our praise. Amen

Tomorrow another look.