Sunny Thoughts from Sunset 4-19
By Vance Drum
On Sunday the Sunset pastor continued our series, “Drawing Near to God,” with a message, “Saving a Nation by Prayer.” The text was from Daniel’s prayer for the Lord to redeem Israel (Daniel 9:15-19): “Because of your great mercy, O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay….”
The pastor made five points: (1) The Confession Restated; (2) Pleading God’s Righteousness; (3) Pleading God’s Mercy; (4) Pleading God’s Reputation; (5) Daniel’s Earnestness in Prayer.
(1) The Confession Restated. Daniel, in Babylonian captivity, had confessed the unfaithfulness of Israel’s kings, princes, fathers and people. He said (v5): “We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled….”
In his prayer Daniel did not try to justify Israel’s sins, or to brush them under the rug. He confessed, not mincing words, but called what Israel had done wickedness and rebellion against God.
I think that sometimes we have difficulty understanding how God really feels about sin. In both the Old and New Testaments, God acted decisively against sin because God knows that our sin is so destructive — both to ourselves and to others.
In our American culture, where we think anything goes, and everything’s alright if we think it’s alright, what God thinks is often left out of the picture.
(2) Pleading God’s Righteousness. Daniel now presents some argument to God in his plea for God to act. First he pleads God’s righteousness, v14: “The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does….”
God makes distinctions between right and wrong, and His moral character is above reproach. God has a moral compass which judges sin, as in God’s judgment of the great harlot Babylon (Revelation 19:2): “True and just are his judgments.”
At the same time, God is righteous in not continuing his judgments forever against a people who confess their sins and turn from their wicked ways. So Daniel prays (v16): “O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill.”
In our country, it is comforting to me to know that God will always do the right thing — whether judgment or blessing — with America.
(3) Pleading God’s Mercy. Daniel then in his prayer pleads for God’s mercy toward his people Israel (v18): “We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.”
When we ask for God’s intervention, it’s not the best thing to talk about how good we are, especially if we’ve just confessed our great rebellion and sin. So Daniel pleads God’s mercy, and he reminds God of his concern for Israel when they were enslaved in Egypt, v15: “Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand….”
God had acted in the past for Israel, so Daniel prayed: Lord, please act again, not because we deserve it, but because you are merciful. The prayer is good for our country, which has fallen into great sin. Our repentance, confession of sin and God’s mercy will save America.
(4) Pleading God’s Reputation. V15, 18: You “made for yourself a name that endures to this day… Open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name….”
America is seen around the world as a Christian nation which has sent more missionaries than any other country into the world. In 2010, our of 400,000 Christian missionaries in the world, 127,000 come from America. America’s sin and failure is seen as God’s weakness by an unbelieving world. “For your Name’s sake, deliver us.”
(5) Daniel’s Earnestness. “O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay.” Daniel’s earnest prayer was heard!
Much thanks to Jerry Hinson for singing the beautiful, “Now I Have Everything — Jesus,” on Sunday.
“I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.” [Psalm 108:3]
May God be praised in Grapeland, and in all the earth — our prayer for us from Sunset Christian Church.