In His Name Devotionals
PRAYING ACCORDING TO GOD’S WORD
“I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications.” (Daniel 9:2-3)
Have you wondered if it is Biblical to pray for things God has already promised in His Word to do? Is it proper to pray, say, for Christ’s return, knowing it is a sure thing? Daniel presents a clear answer.
God prophesied through Jeremiah that the Babylonian Captivity would last seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11-12). When Daniel read that prophecy, he realized that the time was near for his people to return to their homeland. That inspired him to pray fervently.
Daniel cries out, “O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Thine own sake, O my God, do not delay” (Daniel 9:19). He was in tune with God’s Word and understood that somehow his prayers were part of God’s plan.
The exact relationship between God’s sovereignty and your prayers is a mystery, but it is clear that somehow God’s Word and your prayers are co-laborers in achieving God’s will.