Pray for Your Country
Godly Daniel, exiled to Babylon, prayed for Israel. He knew the time of exile for his country was nearing the end and fervently prayed for his country.
His prayer gives us a template for us to use in praying for our own country. This is a template for all of us, wherever we live.
Determine to seek Him
Daniel gave his attention to the Lord God, and sought Him with prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. (Daniel 9:3)
We should likewise take prayer seriously.
Daniel prepared for prayer with fasting and dressed to show his repentance. What should we do?
Praise Him
Daniel started his prayer with praise for the great and awesome Yahweh and “reminded” God that He keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments. (Daniel 9:4)
We should regularly praise our God. How do you want to praise Him?
Confess
Daniel’s confessed that we have sinned. His confession was personal, including himself as part of his country’s sins.
Each of us can see unrighteousness and evil in our country. We, personally, have not directly participated in all those sins, but, we have sinned in other ways. Perhaps we have not prayed about it, perhaps we haven’t tried to intervene, perhaps… We have responsibility.
Daniel was specific. What specific sins of your country should you confess?
Praise in the midst of confession
Daniel interposed praise throughout his confession, and contrasted God’s character and actions with Israel’s sins.
For example: Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord … Open shame belongs to us, O Lord … because we have sinned against You. (Daniel 9:7–8)
Keep praising God.
Confess that God is righteous in His actions
Daniel confessed that God was justified in bringing great calamity on Israel.
Therefore the Lord has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice. (Daniel 9:14)
Do you believe your county deserves God’s judgment? What should you say to God about your country’s sins (using “we”) and what you believe is God’s righteous response?
Pray for mercy
Daniel reminded God of His previous actions towards Israel, that He had brought them out of Egypt and made them a name for Himself.
How can you thank God for His work in your country?
Daniel’s prayer: O Lord, in accordance with all Your righteous acts, let now Your anger and Your wrath turn away … listen to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplications, and for Your sake, O Lord, let Your face shine … O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations … for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay … (Daniel 9:16–19)
Let’s pray
