Standing in the Gap

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Daniel was now an old man, probably in his eighties, still serving faithfully in a foreign land. While reading the prophet Jeremiah, he discovered that God had promised to restore Israel after seventy years of captivity. Suddenly, Daniel realized that the time was almost up – God was about to move, and Daniel wanted to be part of it.

Let’s take a moment to read Daniel 9:1-19:

In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian[b] kingdom—in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventyyears. So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.

I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:

“Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.

“Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.

“Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does;yet we have not obeyed him.

“Now, Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scornto all those around us.

“Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”

REFLECT

Here's what makes this prayer so powerful: Daniel didn't just ask God to fulfill His promise. He began with confession – not just his own sins, but the sins of his entire nation. Even though Daniel had lived a remarkably faithful life, he identified with his people's failures and took responsibility for their collective rebellion.

This is the heart of intercession – standing in the gap between God's holiness and humanity's brokenness. Daniel understood that God's promises often require human participation through prayer. He wasn't just waiting for God to act; he was positioning himself to be part of God's solution.

Notice how Daniel approached God: "Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love." Even in confession, Daniel began with worship. He reminded himself of God's character before he presented his concerns. This wasn't manipulation; it was alignment. Daniel was adjusting his heart to match God's heart.

The prayer is brutally honest about Israel's condition: "We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws." Daniel didn't make excuses or minimize their failures. He owned the truth completely, knowing that confession clears the pathway for God's mercy.

But then Daniel did something beautiful – he appealed to God's reputation: "Lord, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name." This wasn't selfish pleading; it was strategic intercession. Daniel understood that God's glory was at stake in Israel's restoration.

The response was immediate and dramatic. Before Daniel finished praying, the angel Gabriel appeared with insight and understanding. God had been moved by Daniel's prayer and was already setting restoration in motion. Within months, Cyrus would issue the decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.

Think about this: Daniel's prayer literally changed the course of history. The return from exile, the rebuilding of Jerusalem, the restoration of temple worship – all of it was set in motion by one man's burden to seek God's face. This is the power of prayer when it aligns with God's heart and purposes.

Daniel's intercession teaches us that prayer isn't just about getting things from God – it's about remembering who you really are. Daniel saw himself as part of God's covenant people, responsible for their spiritual condition. His prayer life connected him to something bigger than his own needs.

The truth is, whatever you're facing right now isn't the end of your story. Just as Daniel discovered that God's promises have timing, you might be living in the "almost up" moment of your own season. The breakthrough you've been praying for might be just around the corner.

Daniel's story reminds us that the seasons when you feel forgotten or displaced are often when God is preparing you for something bigger. His decades in Babylon weren't wasted time – they were preparation for this moment when his intercession would shape the destiny of nations.

God is still looking for Daniels – people who will pray with the understanding that their personal faithfulness can literally change the course of history. People who know that confession clears the pathway for breakthrough, and that intercession is the bridge between God's promises and their fulfillment.

RESPOND

Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you read.

• What role does confession play in your prayers, and how does it prepare your heart for breakthrough?

• Are there any promises from God's Word that you need to intercede for with the same urgency Daniel showed?

REST

Take a moment to rest in God’s presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:

Lord, give me a heart like Daniel's – one that sees beyond my personal needs to Your greater purposes. Help me understand that my faithful prayers can literally change the course of history. When You show me Your promises, give me the courage to intercede with urgency and faith. Let my life become a bridge between Your heart and the needs of others, knowing that You delight in using ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. Amen.