Bible Verse of the Day Wednesday January 19th, 2022

Daniel 6:10 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 6:16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"

We do not often hear about someone jailed for praying in public in the US, but it occasionally happens. For example, Julian Raven was arrested in Elmira, New York, for publicly praying. In 2007 there was a city-wide festival at Elmira Park where Julian and his friends knelt down to pray for the city. The charge was disturbing the peace, and no one ever served any jail time, but the fact that a person could be arrested for praying in public makes us wonder how long before it extends into our churches or our private homes.

Today, our text tells the story of an 85-year-old man arrested for praying in his home, except this man was sentenced to death. This example was the most famous prayer of the Prophet Daniel, but it was not the only time the scriptures tell of him in prayer; as our text points out, Daniel prayed three times a day. In The ninth chapter, we see Daniel reading in the scroll of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:8-11) that the captivity of his people would last 70 years; the people were 67 years into exile, and Daniel was eager for it to end (Daniel 9:2-3).

We should all follow the example of Daniel, have specific times set aside each day that we get down on our knees, and give thanks to God, our creator and sustainer, for all that He does for us. In Daniel 9, Daniel’s prayers offer us a model to follow when we go to God on our knees in prayer. We are to acknowledge that God is “great and awesome,” and we are but sinners saved by His mercy and grace (Daniel 9:4-6).

If we ever expect to stand tall to reflect the Light of Christ Jesus to the world around us, we must have a regular daily prayer life. Prayer is the most powerful tool provided to us by our Heavenly Father. We can come before His Throne through prayer with our petitions of confession and thanksgiving.

 It is on our knees that we learn to stand.