Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for today is taken from the Book of the Prophet, Daniel, Chapter Nine verse Eighteen, “We do not present our supplication before you on the ground of our righteousness, but on the ground of your great mercies,” (NRSVB). The Prophet Daniel, was in exile with the Jews in Babylon and wrote this prayer vision in the beginning of the rule of King Darius, who succeeded King Ahasuerus. Daniel prayed continuously for the Jews in captivity in Babylon. He was awaiting the time when they would be returning to Jerusalem. Through visions and dreams Daniel received the message that the years of captivity would be seventy years. This did not cause Daniel to stop praying for deliverance, but he intensified his prayers and fasted and dressed in sack-cloth, confessing on behalf of himself and the people of Israel the wrongs that have been committed by God’s chosen people. Daniel’s prayers called on God to forgive the disobedience and the disregard towards the commandments of God that were being practiced by the captives. Daniel prayed with tears to the Lord, “O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, give heed and act! Do not delay.” While Daniel was in earnest prayer, the Angel Gabriel came to him in a vision, and told him that God has heard his prayers. God gave Daniel wisdom and understanding to continue to prophesy and intercede for the people. He received supernatural insight into events pertaining to the future history of the world. Scholars state that he was in his nineties when he was still ministering to the people and enjoyed favour at the court of the king. Daniel never lost hope in God’s promises of redemption for Israel and the coming of the Messiah. He realized that he would not live to see these promises in the flesh but that his prophetic word would ultimately be fulfilled.
When Jesus taught his disciples they asked him when the time would come when he would return to the world to reign in glory. He told his disciples, as we read in Matthew Twenty Four Verses Thirty Five to Thirty Six, “Sky and earth will pass away, but My Words will not pass away. But of the exact day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father,” (Amplified Bible). The prophetic words of the prophets and poets contained in Scripture came to be fulfilled when the captives returned, Jerusalem was rebuilt and the Temple restored, the Messiah was born, crucified, dead and buried and rose again. However, the final glorious day, when Christ will come again, is still being eagerly awaited, for the past two thousand years. Just as Daniel continued to minister and pray, even though he knew that the outcome and fulfilment of his prayers would not be witnessed by him, we have to stay faithful and intercede for the world and her people. We have the boldness to come in prayer to God and bring our supplications interceding for this world and her people. Because of God’s great mercies and loving-kindness he will bring his will to pass and bring peace in the troubled world.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the congregation of Ephesus in his letter, in Chapter Three verse Twelve, “In Christ, because of our faith in him, we dare to have the boldness, we dare to have courage and confidence of free access, an unreserved approach to God, we have freedom and can come to God without fear,” (Amplified Bible). Christ has brought reconciliation between God the Father and his children, through his work on the cross. We therefore can come to God and pray to him and rest in the assurance that he will hear our supplications and answer our cries.
Father, we come to you and pray that you will bring healing and peace to this world, that you will come in your great mercy and loving-kindness and bring about your kingdom on earth, Amen.