Daniel Plan

     A friend of mine named Ed called me last week, and among other things, told me about an approach to prayer that he, his adult son Nathaniel, and their respective wives have started based on Daniel 6:10. Daniel was the highest official of the land under a pagan king. The other officials wanted to get rid of them but could find nothing wrong with his actions. They decided to enact a law that no one could pray to anyone except the king, which he approved. In Daniel 6:10 we read, "When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open towards Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously." (ESV) The Scripture goes on to tell of a miraculous deliverance from a night in the lion's den.
     The idea that Ed shared was to make a commitment to pray 3 times each day, and to have accountability by e-mailing someone else at the close of the day to confirm success. Those who read this blog on a regular basis are aware that the Lord has convicted me of the necessity for greater human accountability. I believe that our surrender to the Lordship of Christ is too subjective and theoretical if we refuse to be accountable to another believer. The other advantage of the three times a day for a minimum of fifteen minutes ( one can always pray longer or more often) is the regular refocusing on God. Praying faithfully once a day is great but as humans we can drift a long way before the next day arrives. Praying three times each day as Daniel did helps to prevent this.
     "For he is the living God, enduring forever
his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end.
He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and earth,
he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions."
(Daniel 6:26b-27 ESV)
    A word to the wise is sufficient.