Coffee With The Lord

And here is a devotional reflection I’ve written based on Daniel’s great intercession for his nation from exile in Babylon…

———————————–

If you’re concerned about the welfare of our nation and the world and feel compelled by the Spirit to engage in the noble work of intercession let me recommend Daniel 9.1-19 as a pattern prayer! Just read it over again this morning during “coffee with the Lord” and was deeply moved and challenged by its character and contents.

In it, Daniel begins with an acknowledgement of God’s greatness and character.

He then acknowledges the sin and rebellion of the nation (but instead of self-righteously isolating himself from the sin of the nation, he identifies with the nation personally, in true “prophetic” fashion, with the personal pronoun “We” … “We have…”)

He also acknowledges God’s righteousness in all that has happened to the nation because of their sin… “To you, Oh Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame because we have sinned against you.

But then, he returns to appeal to God’s character: “To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness.”

On the basis of the character of God he completes his intercession by pleading to the Lord to listen to his prayer, asks God to do it “for His own sake” and once again admits, “We do not present our pleas before You because of our own righteousness, but because of your great mercy!”

He pours out his final appeal passionately with the words, “Oh Lord, hear! Oh Lord, forgive! O Lord, Pay attention and act! Delay not, for your own sake, Oh my God!”

What a prayer! What a pattern for caring Christians in their Spirit-prompted intercession for their nation and world in troubled times! Let’s pray!!!

Today Daniel 9 was part of my Bible reading during my time of “Coffee with the Lord.”

Each year I post this “Intercessory Prayer Guide” adapted from Daniel’s prayer for his nation in Daniel 9:1-19. Please utilize it in your personal intercession for our nation!

————————-

An Intercessory Prayer Guide for Our Nation

Adapted from Daniel 9

“O Lord, You are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill Your covenant and keep Your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey Your commands. But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against You and scorned your commands and regulations. We have refused to listen to Your servants the prophets, who spoke on Your authority to us as a nation – its leaders and its people.

“Lord, You are in the right; but as You see, our faces are covered with shame. This is true of all of us who stand under your judgment.. O Lord, we are covered with shame because we have sinned against You. But You are merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against You. We have not obeyed You, we have not followed the instructions You gave us through Your servants the prophets. We have all disobeyed Your instruction and turned away, refusing to listen to Your voice.

“So now Your promised judgment has been poured down on us because of our sin. You have kept Your word and done to us and our rulers exactly as you warned. Every judgment You promised as a result of our sin has come true. Yet we have refused to seek Your mercy by turning from our sins and recognizing Your truth. Therefore, You, oh Lord have brought upon us the disaster You prepared. Lord You were right to do all of these things, for we did not obey You.

“O Lord our God, You have brought lasting honor to Your name by rescuing Your people over and over again. But we have sinned and are full of wickedness. In view of all Your faithful mercies, Lord, please turn Your furious anger away from our nation and its people. Other nations mock us because of our sins and the sins of our ancestors.

“O our God, hear Your servant’s prayer! Listen as I plead. For Your own sake, Lord, smile again on us!

“O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open Your eyes and see our despair. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of Your mercy.

“O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! For Your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for the sake of Your people and our nation!”

(An adaption of the New Living Translation for personal and corporate intercession for our nation)

During “coffee with the Lord” today I was very impressed with the voice, the call, the invitation of “wisdom” (I was reading Proverbs 8 at the time, but the theme is not limited to that chapter – it is scattered throughout Proverbs 1-9).

I WANT TO HEAR WISDOM’S VOICE ABOVE THE RABBLE OF ALL THE OTHER VOICES IN OUR WORLD! I want my ear tuned and attentive to her. I want to discern her sweet tone and wholesome message among all of the other competing voices! It it a invitation to truth, insight, righteousness, wholeness, blessing, and “Shalom”!) It is a call to reject deception, temptation, self-will, sin and rebellion.

It is not a loud, strident voice (“the woman ‘Folly’ is loud; she is seductive and knows nothing” – vs. 13) – Wisdom is rather a quiet, but discernable voice in all the distracting noise and competing voices of life. She is however, discernable – you do have to listen for her!

Proverbs 8 reminds me of James 3:14-18: “if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.”

I’m listening for her voice this morning! I’ll be listening tomorrow too… and the next day, and the next, and the next, and…