Reason #953
Daniel's prayer has been stuck in my head since I read it last Saturday. So authentic, so humble, and perfectly said. And I've been challenged to pray for our country. Not just the simple "God bless America" that we've grown accustomed to saying, but to really pray about the things that are going on, that have been going on. To pray about the things that we've grown numb to. Because America needs God more than ever. The world needs Him more than ever. And with each passing day, that need grows.
We are a nation of self-centered people. People who pray and spend most of their time praying for themselves. We just generalize our prayers, too, when it comes to the tough stuff and we throw out a blanket prayer. It's easier that way, "Forgive me for my sins." God knows what they are, so we just leave it up to Him to apply forgiveness in the necessary ways. We don't really need to actually say it, do we? We don't need to go through our laundry list with Him. We just spout off generics, saying the words we know we should say, and we feel that should get the job done.
What if we said things like, "God, forgive me for my adulterous ways. Forgive me for running back to that addiction over and over again and for justifying my reason for doing it. Forgive me for lying out both sides of my mouth today, and forgive me for using an absurd amount of 4-letter words. Forgive me for blatantly disobeying you and doing the very thing you've asked me not to do. Forgive me for being so selfish and immature. Forgive me for condoning things that are not of you and for participating in them when I want to. Forgive me for judging people so harshly and for sinking myself deeper and deeper into debt just so I can have things and feel better about myself. Forgive me for treating you like a genie in a bottle and for making you my last resort. For not honoring you with my choices and actions and for blaming other people for my bad decisions. Forgive me for thinking that I am good enough, smart enough, rich enough, or capable enough that I don't really need you. Forgive me for blending in, for choosing my way over yours, and for taking you for granted." But Daniel prayed the truth about God's people. He didn't hold back. And as he confessed their sins and acknowledged that they had dug their own hole, He asked for God's restoration. He said, "We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy." (Daniel 9:18)
So thank you, Lord, for your mercy. Because we certainly don't deserve a single good thing from you. We don't deserve forgiveness and restoration. We deserve wrath and punishment and all of the bad things that are coming our way. But we cry out to you because, although we got ourselves in this mess, only you can get us out of it. Only you can save. And so we ask that you would save our nation, save our world, save our hearts... and start with me. I ask, Lord, not because I deserve it but because you're full of mercy.
#953 - Because He is full of mercy, we can ask.
"O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair....“O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name.” - Daniel 9:18-19
We are a nation of self-centered people. People who pray and spend most of their time praying for themselves. We just generalize our prayers, too, when it comes to the tough stuff and we throw out a blanket prayer. It's easier that way, "Forgive me for my sins." God knows what they are, so we just leave it up to Him to apply forgiveness in the necessary ways. We don't really need to actually say it, do we? We don't need to go through our laundry list with Him. We just spout off generics, saying the words we know we should say, and we feel that should get the job done.
What if we said things like, "God, forgive me for my adulterous ways. Forgive me for running back to that addiction over and over again and for justifying my reason for doing it. Forgive me for lying out both sides of my mouth today, and forgive me for using an absurd amount of 4-letter words. Forgive me for blatantly disobeying you and doing the very thing you've asked me not to do. Forgive me for being so selfish and immature. Forgive me for condoning things that are not of you and for participating in them when I want to. Forgive me for judging people so harshly and for sinking myself deeper and deeper into debt just so I can have things and feel better about myself. Forgive me for treating you like a genie in a bottle and for making you my last resort. For not honoring you with my choices and actions and for blaming other people for my bad decisions. Forgive me for thinking that I am good enough, smart enough, rich enough, or capable enough that I don't really need you. Forgive me for blending in, for choosing my way over yours, and for taking you for granted." But Daniel prayed the truth about God's people. He didn't hold back. And as he confessed their sins and acknowledged that they had dug their own hole, He asked for God's restoration. He said, "We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy." (Daniel 9:18)
So thank you, Lord, for your mercy. Because we certainly don't deserve a single good thing from you. We don't deserve forgiveness and restoration. We deserve wrath and punishment and all of the bad things that are coming our way. But we cry out to you because, although we got ourselves in this mess, only you can get us out of it. Only you can save. And so we ask that you would save our nation, save our world, save our hearts... and start with me. I ask, Lord, not because I deserve it but because you're full of mercy.
#953 - Because He is full of mercy, we can ask.
"O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair....“O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name.” - Daniel 9:18-19