For three weeks, Daniel had fasted on a limited diet, and
despite the unrelenting desert sun, he didn’t treat his skin with oils or
lotions to protect it. He desperately
wanted and needed to hear from God, and he was setting aside his own needs in
order to do so.
God answered his prayers requesting more information by
giving him a vision while he was outdoors.
His companions didn’t see the
vision, but the physical manifestations surrounding it caused them to run away
and hide in terror. Daniel at first lost
all of his energy, then appears to have fainted. He woke up shaking as a hand touched him and
helped him to sit up. That’s when he
heard those incredible, wonderful words:
“Daniel, God loves you very much!” That wasn’t all he heard: “Daniel, do not be afraid. Some time ago
you decided to get understanding and to humble
yourself before your God. Since that
time, God has listened to You, and I
have come because of your prayers.” Once
Daniel had made the choice to get
understanding and to humble himself,
God intensely began listening to his requests.
Daniel was still speechless, so the messenger touched his
lips, enabling communication. Still
finding it hard to breathe, Daniel asked for strength and it was given to him.
This all had to be very disconcerting, and God knew Daniel still needed
to be reassured. The messenger said, “Daniel,
don’t be afraid. God loves you VERY much.
Peace be with you. Be strong now;
be courageous.” His commands are His
enablements, and Daniel rallied. He was
now ready to hear, listen, and understand what God was up to.
Father God, show me if I need to change the way I ready
myself to hear from You. I don’t want to
just get up, read a chapter, and expect that the thoughts I have will
accurately reflect what You want me
to understand. Help me to better prepare
to hear from You. I want to experience
the expectancy that Daniel had. Help me to be prayed up yet still wanting
more.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
No comments:
Post a Comment