Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture today is Hosea 1:1 (ESV).

The word of the Lord that came to Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.

The Book of Hosea opens with a list of the rulers in both the northern and southern kingdoms of his time. This is important for several reasons. For us reading this now, it places the writing at a specific time in history with names of kings that are mentioned in other historical records. For the Jews, genealogy has always been a part of their lives, tracing their lineage back for generations. However, by mentioning the names of kings from both kingdoms (Israel and Judah), it points to a day when God’s people will be reunited with Him and each other, without the human divisions we have created.

Patient God, as there is no division in You, there should be none between us as Your children. Help us to see each other as You see us, created in Your image and charged with sharing Your love everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture today is Daniel 9:9-10 (ESV).

To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

Daniel offers a communal confession of sin and prayers for mercy to the people of Israel. This is what God asks of us, to acknowledge our sin and be restored within the kingdom. Humans have been rebellious children since the beginning. God has sent messengers to warn us, but we are notoriously difficult to convince. When we return in repentance, God is always waiting.

Gracious God, we are sorry for our pride and willful disobedience. Forgive us, renew us through Your spirit, and send us to share Your love with the world. Amen.

Our scripture today is Daniel 8:17 (ESV).

So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.”

I will tell you honestly that interpreting apocalyptic lessons is very difficult. This is a prime example. Rather than see it as a riddle to solve – we will never solve it ourselves – we need to ask “what is the eternal lesson God is teaching?” We know that Daniel was given the gift to interpret dreams and visions, but in this episode the angel Gabriel is called to explain it to Daniel who doesn’t understand. If Daniel didn’t understand, we have no chance. We need to ask God to help us see what meaning is assigned for us in this lesson, rather than attempting to discover who or what in human history is represented by these fantastic images.

Loving Lord, You want us to be part of everything You are doing, but Your wisdom and power is too great for us to comprehend in human terms. Help us to accept that which we can understand rather than coveting to know more than we are able. Amen.

Our scripture today is Daniel 5:5 (MEV).

Immediately fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace. And the king saw the back of the hand that wrote.

God uses the Exile to teach Israel, but also the nation that had enslaved them. In this verse we “read the writing on the wall” along with them. The king and his court were shocked and frightened by the appearance of a hand writing a message and everyone present saw it. No one but Daniel could interpret the meaning, and it spells disaster for Babylon. The king and his court are unrepentant even in the face of the message. That very night they are overrun by the Persian army and the king meets his death. God is slow to anger but there will be consequences for those who dishonor Him and His children.

Gracious God, we are sorry for the times we fail to love one another and follow Your commandments. Forgive us and bless us to go where You send us to share the Good News. Amen.

Our scripture today is Daniel 3:25 (MEV).

He answered, “Look! I see four men unbound and walking in the midst of the fire, and they are unharmed. And the form of the fourth is like the Son of God!””

In Daniel 3 we read of a king full of false pride who commands his people to bow down to a golden image. Three brave Israelites refuse to worship this idol, or anything other than their God. The penalty for this is to be cast into the fiery furnace. Suddenly the king and his advisors see these men walking around unharmed and there is a fourth figure that the king declares “is like the Son of God!” We should not be surprised that an unbeliever recognizes the Lord, scripture is filled with stories of God revealing Himself to everyone. A scholarly side note – the phrase “walking around” in this verse uses the same word in Hebrew as Genesis 3:8: “Then they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.” People would recognize this as more than just “walking around”, but the very presence of the living God.

Heavenly Father, we are amazed at the ways You make Yourself known to us and the care You provide. Help us to recognize Your presence always and everywhere and share the love You give with the world. Amen.

Our scripture today is Daniel 2:1 (MEV).

And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams, and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him.

Remember the verse from chapter 1 that said “And Daniel had understanding in all kinds of visions and dreams.” God had provided Daniel with the gift that would be necessary to satisfy the king’s demand for an interpretation. This reminds us of Joseph interpreting Pharoah’s dream in Exodus. Even in dire circumstances God has made a way for His people when they follow in faith. We all have different gifts to be used for the good of all God’s children.

Loving Lord, we are so grateful for all Your gifts to us. Help us to see the needs of the world we can help meet through sharing the Gospel and Your love. Amen.

Our scripture today is Daniel 1:17 (MEV).

As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in every branch of learning and wisdom. And Daniel had understanding in all kinds of visions and dreams.

The book of Daniel is part of a unique group of literature that is termed apocalyptic. That mouthful loosely translated means end times. In Daniel we are given a glimpse of the future that God has in store for His children. There are other lessons to be learned here however. We see the stark contrast between the ways of the world and the ways of the Lord. Israel is given a chance to see what it is like in the pagan world. They also see that their faith while in terrible circumstances would later restore them to the Promised Land and their relationship with God.

Heavenly Father, the lessons You have for us are not always easy, but we know they are needed to break the grip of sin on our lives. Strengthen us in faith and help us to see our place in Your creation, caring for all Your gifts in love. Amen.

Our scripture today is Ezekiel 36:22 (NIV).

Therefore say to the Israelites, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone.”

Israel had brought the Exile upon themselves through their dreadful behavior. The nations around them said “They thought they were so great with their one God! He must not be so great if He let this happen to them!” They had no concept that the Exile was part of God’s plan. God tells the people He will restore them, not because they deserve any special treatment but in order to prove to the rest of the world that He is the only true God. He is ready to show mercy and forgiveness to all who return in repentance.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry that our behavior has separated us. Forgive us, and bless us to be new people who share Your love and gifts with the world. Amen.

Our scripture today is Ezekiel 34:12 (NIV).

As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.

The people of Ezekiel’s time would remember David’s psalm “the Lord is my shepherd” and God speaks to them through the prophet to jog their memory. God still abides by His covenant with us even though we have broken our vows to Him. He promises that He will recover His people and continue to love and bless us. We have an obligation to live in His love and tell the world what He has done for us.

Gracious God, we know You are always ready to welcome us back when we admit our sin and return to You. Help us to be part of Your faithful flock, leading others to Your love and care. Amen.

Our scripture today is Ezekiel 11:19 (NIV).

I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

Back in 1980 Christian singer/songwriter Keith Green sang “So You Want to Go Back to Egypt”, a kind of comical look at human desire and our lack of trust in God. As Moses led them into the desert, the newly freed people began to complain about the harsh conditions, saying they were better off back in Egypt. If they lost their faith when times were bad, how would they maintain it when times are good? This is exactly what happened during the Exile – things had been good for them but they wanted more. They aspired to be powerful among the nations around them, which led to all sorts of awful practices. God sends them back to Egypt spiritually and to Babylon physically in a reversal of coming to the Promised Land. However, in this verse He promises that we can be forgiven and renewed when we repent.

Heavenly Father, we need You in our lives in good times and bad. Help us to share Your love no matter our circumstances and welcome the repentant back to Your presence. Amen.