Daniel 10:12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.”

This verse has encouraged countless believers down through the centuries. Our words move heaven! However these are not just idle words but words that come from a heart deliberately humbled before God, committed to obedience. Daniel is in several ways a unique individual, but at the same time he is a marvelous example to every believer. Few people go through what he did, taken as a captive to an enemy nation and there, by sheer force of character, rising to Prime Minister (essentially), but at the same time, we all experience social pressures to deny God and follow the crowd, so his example in refusing to do that should inspire us all. Again, few people have a direct angelic visitation like he did, but our prayers can still be heard before the Throne in heaven. The point is his attitude, as expressed in this verse. All too often we demand all sorts of things of God, failing to trust Him to know even better than we do what we actually need. Jesus told us to ask, seek, and knock, (Matthew 7:7) but He also said, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:8) Frantic prayer is rarely prayer in deep faith! As Paul said, shortly before he was martyred, “I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12) When we have that kind of settled faith, there is no limit to what God can and will accomplish through our prayers.

I have shared the story many times, but I will never forget the first time I heard God speak to me in what seemed like an audible voice. I was driving, praying as I drove (with my eyes open). I don’t remember what the issue was, but I wanted to know what God wanted me to do in a particular situation. I had been praying non-stop, in English and in tongues, saying, “Speak to me, Lord,” and when I stopped to take a breath, He said, “Well then, shut up.” I was totally shocked, and then I had to laugh at myself. I had been so busy asking Him to speak that I was in no condition to listen to Him. I hadn’t been humbling myself, the way Daniel did. When the Old Testament speaks of humbling yourself, it generally means things like fasting and wearing sackcloth and the like. External things like that aren’t nearly as important as heart attitude. We can’t force God to act by fasting! I need to maintain a heart that is humble before my Lord, eager to hear whatever He wants to say to me, committed to obey Him whatever He asks. If I will do that, then the lines of communication will remain open, and His perfect will will be done in and through me, for His glory.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for all You did in and through me yesterday. Thank You that I have an appointment to have my Japanese taxes done at City Hall on the 2^nd. Thank You for protecting and guiding us as we drove to Fukuoka for the memorial service yesterday. Thank You for all the personal connections that could be renewed there. Thank You for the good night’s sleep and for all that You have planned for today. May I rest, relax, and rejoice in You throughout the day, humbly trusting You to do what is absolutely best, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!