DANIEL 9
16 “O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us. 17 Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18 O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. 19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”
– Daniel 9:16-19
DANIEL 9 TO REPENT IS TO WORSHIP GOD
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When we have sinned, we prioritize ourselves as “first”
Because all humans are by nature sinful, we cater to the “self”
Declaring our sins is the first step towards reconciliation
Repentance proves our admittance of such transgressions
It shows the recognition that we have hurt God with our defiance
It makes us aware how little we are in comparison to God the Father
To declare specific sins that we have committed is the work of the Spirit
He convicts us to admit our sins so we can starve our flesh and hate sin.
In this part of Daniel’s prayer, we witness how his confession of the sins of God’s people led to worshiping the Lord. When he said in verse 17 “for your own sake, make your face shine upon your sanctuary which is desolate” probably refers to Daniel reminding God of his character as the merciful Father and the Provider attribute of God. He pleads with the Lord after reminding God of his divine nature. Of course, the Almighty God knows his character and attributes, but having Daniel speak it out loud back to God is actually a form of worship. It shows how he knows God well and that he has an intimate relationship with the God of heaven. Daniel requests God not to delay showing mercy to his people because he knows that he is full of mercy, compassion and love.
REFLECTION
· How has the world misinterpreted the concept of repentance?
