Friday – Prophets

Reading – Daniel 9-10

Highlight Verse:

“O Lord, we and our kings, princes, and ancestors are covered with shame because we have sinned against you.”
‭‭Daniel‬ ‭9‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Daniel was as righteous as they come.

His faithfulness in the face of opposition puts my meager faith to shame.

But when it comes to pleading for mercy for his nation, he lumps himself right in with the worst sinners in Israel.

Was his self image really that low?

I don’t think so.

I believe he recognized that, if he was to plead for the nation, he had to identify with the nation.

He so closely identified with the nation of Israel that he took on the shame of Israel as he laid his nation’s soul bare before the Lord.

And God listened.

From the moment he started praying, he started the wheels in motion to restore the nation of Israel.

As people seeking to live righteous lives before God, it is easy to become judgmental of those who bring down the level of purity in our nation.

I daresay that is one of the reasons our nation is so sharply divided right now.

What would happen if we all humbled ourselves before God, confessing the sin of the nation as our own?

Restoration!

Can you join me today in praying for the restoration of our nation (or your nation if you are outside the US)?