Daniel 9:15-18; 1st Thessalonians 5:17-18
This thought-provoking sentence is found in Daniel 9:18B: and it reads: “we make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy” (NLT). Daniel was praying for his people, knowing that they have sinned and rebelled against God. Daniel knew that they deserved nothing from God but his temporal and eternal punishment. He also knew that God is merciful, and that was why he prayed.
Do you know that some people stop praying and communicating with God because they have this mindset that God can never listen to, or hear them? This makes them to pray only when they think that they are righteous, or have not committed any sin. They do not have an idea of God‘s mercies that never comes to an end. They do not know that they ought to pray without ceasing. We know that we do not deserve help, but we will still pray because God is merciful.
The thought-provoking statement in Daniel’s prayer is not suggesting that we take the mercies of God for granted. On the contrary, it is suggesting that we acknowledge and appreciate the mercies of God in our lives. It gives us an understanding that we should come to God with humility, whenever we pray, and we should not be afraid to approach him. It points us to the fact that, we have no reason to complain if God refuses to help us because of our sins, and that we need to praise and worship him when He shows us mercy instead of the punishment we deserve.
I pray that God will help us to acknowledge his mercies, and to always come before him in prayer, knowing that he really hears and answers us. In Jesus name. Amen. God bless you.
Papa Mbos 