Mediations from Daniel: Great Mercy

Great Mercy [Daniel 9:18]

Another meditation from Chapter 9 of the book of Daniel. At the end of his heart-moving prayer to the Lord, upon hearing that the Israelites would remain in captivity in Babylon for 70 years, you will find a verse you should put in your memory and use often as you position yourself in prayer.

Daniel 9:18 “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.”

I am so struck by this verse. So struck. The first 15 verse of this chapter are filled with confession and a spirit of repentance. Daniel lays out the sins committed against the Lord by His people, “we have sinned....we have acted wickedly...we have not listened...to us belongs shame...we turned aside....refused to obey...” He weeps in sackcloth and ashes, and devotes himself to fasting and prayer. He acknowledges the righteousness of God, the unrighteousness of His people, and the justice in their suffering.

And yet, as he is on his face before the Lord, aware that Israel deserves the situation they are in, he pleads for mercy. He says to the Lord, “We are Your people, called by Your glorious name...and we are a disgrace in the eyes of those who look on and rule over us. In the midst of our just desolation, I am pleading with You because You are merciful and we are desperately in need.” He didn’t shy away from the Lord, even in the Lord’s just anger. He didn’t barter with the Lord and say, “We did this and this in the past, or what if we do this and this now or later.” He didn’t credit one ounce of worth to himself or the rest of the Israelites, even though Daniel himself was walking uprightly before the Lord in Babylon. Instead, he fell on his face and said, “The depth of Your mercy is greater than the depth of our sin. We need Your mercy for our sin is great!”

Heavenly Father, may I walk humbly before You. Honest with myself and with You about who and what I am, while clinging to the reality of who and what You are: The One I cling to as Savior and bow to as Lord.