One of my favorite memories from childhood is waking up in the middle of the night and walking into the living room to find my dad sitting on the couch, praying, with his bible by his side. This was a clear indicator that something was on his mind and although he rarely shared with me what it was, it was comforting to know that if something was going on, I knew where my dad would be – he would be petitioning his Heavenly Father with his concerns, while at the same time seeking wisdom from God’s Holy Word.
The consistency with which I know where to find my dad is mirrored by the biblical account of Daniel. Of course, the situation with Daniel was more extreme than anything my dad ever faced. Daniel’s enemies knew that Daniel regularly and faithfully prayed to God, and they used this consistency to set a trap for him in order to condemn him to death. God graciously saved Daniel and used the severity of the situation and the enormity of the rescue to demonstrate His glory to an unbelieving king. And while the circumstance is much different than regularly finding my dad praying on the couch, the principle is the same – people who observed the life of these men knew where they could be found – whatever circumstance they faced, they would be spending time bringing it to God.
There are a few things that can be observed about both the life of Daniel, and the life of my dad about their faithfulness:
- They had a regular place. – The book of Daniel tells us that he would go to the window to pray. My dad’s spot was on the couch. I don’t think there is anything magical about either of these locations, but I do believe that there is value in having a predetermined spot for devoted time with God. Knowing where we are going to spend quiet time with God may seem like a small hurdle, but for some, it is one – and one is enough to be a barrier. If we know where we are going to spend time in God’s presence, then we are more likely to keep that “appointment.” And the more consistently we keep our time dedicated to God, the more our walk with God will benefit from it.
- They had a regular practice. – My dad never told me exactly what he was doing before I would stumble across his evening petitions, but from what I observed, he would pray, read the Bible, and then pray some more. Daniel was in the practice of giving thanks, and then making his petitions and pleas, and he did so three times a day. The consistency with which Daniel followed his practice was so well-known, that his enemies were sure that they could use it to bring about his demise. Many people have found different systems or structures for their regular devotional time, and there likely isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” approach. In my own life, I have found that in different seasons, different patterns are helpful in ensuring that my time with God is intentional, regular, and deep. While your practice may be different from mine, the point is to have one that you follow, day-in and day-out, and one that is biblically-sound and useful for your growth in Christ (and let me suggest that this means that you should regularly be reading the entirety of the Bible and have a structured method for applying what you read to your life. Picking our favorite verses and only reading them is less likely to deepen our knowledge of Who God is and what He has called us to do.)
- They had a commitment that surpassed circumstances – Daniel partook in his regular prayer time even though he knew the king’s edict forbid it. For my dad, there was never a reason not to pray and study God’s Word. Their commitment to spending time with God was not dependent on the convenience of doing so; nor did the opinions of others dictate whether they would keep this commitment. If your time with God is contingent upon certain factors lining up to make that time possible, you can almost guarantee that those conditions will never occur. Many forces, including your own fleshly desires, will work against you. We need to commit to regularly spending time with God – when we don’t feel like it, and when we do – knowing that the moments where we struggle the most to maintain this discipline are probably the times when it is most needed for our growth and obedience.
Daniel’s regular time with God wasn’t the only demonstration of his faithful service, but it is reasonable to conclude that his thrice-daily devotional and prayer time fueled his faithfulness. In a time where many are considering what they want to achieve and accomplish in a new year, being found faithful should be towards the top of the list. And having a place to spend intentional time with God and having a process for studying and applying Scripture that we commit to regardless of circumstances, will go a long way towards growing faithfulness in our lives. If we do these things, when this year ends, we will be able to look back and know that we have spent 2019 engaged in endeavors with eternal significance. And regardless of what else happens this year, for that reason, we will be able to call it a good one.
