Week 11: Day 3

Intro: Hello, welcome to Orbit! My name is Lois and I’m going to be leading us through a bible study reflection on Daniel 6:6-11.

Bible: So these chief ministers and satraps went as a group to the king and said: ‘May King Darius live for ever! The royal ministers, prefects, satraps, advisors and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered – in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.’ So King Darius put the decree in writing.

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened towards Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help

Thoughts: In this passage, we find Daniel peers trying to take him down. They are jealous of him and they want to find a way to take him out. However, his character is so immaculate that they know that the only way they can get him is in his devotion to God and his faith. These people are scheming and misguided but they are right about one thing: Daniel is a man of prayer. Prayer is like breathing for this guy; it’s his natural default – and they knew that if they want to hit him, that was the place to hit him.

The key verse that stands out to me is verse 10 – Daniel learns about what has gone on and he goes straight to God asking for help through prayer.

What I find so interesting about this passage is that it speaks of prayer being like exercise. It’s part of Daniels’s routine. Whether the going is good or he finds himself in a difficult patch, prayer is a part of his life.

Prayer is this incredible gift but let’s face it, sometimes it can feel like hard going! Sometimes my prayer life has felt boring, futile, frustrating… whatever it might be for you, fill in the blanks. But what this passage reminds us is that sometimes prayer is a discipline, prayer is like exercise.

I don’t know if you’ve ever started exercising. I was never one for the gym but recently started to get into weight training and wanted to get a little fitter. What I have seen is that regardless of what exercise I’m doing – whether it’s a run, lifting some weights, doing some Pilates – there will come a moment where I will feel the burn and want to stop. Everything within me is ready to tap out. I used to think that was a sign I should stop. However, what I have learned since going through the process of exercising more, is that regardless of what you’re doing, that burn is going to come. The woman on the video telling me to keep working out – she’s feeling the burn too. It’s not actually a reason to stop, it’s just a part of the process. What’s actually happening is that you are building muscle, getting stronger, more flexible, a stronger heart etc.

And for me, prayer can sometimes feel like this. I can sometimes feel the burn and want to stop. But that burn is just part of the process and every time we do it, we are stretching, growing in perseverance and our relationship with God. And if we keep going, if we continue to fight to make prayer a part of our routine, it will become so much a part of us that whether the going is tough or good we’ll know where we need to go, just as Daniel did. Whatever our circumstances, whatever feelings we might have we’ll know not only the routine of prayer but will also see the benefits of coming before God in prayer. I don’t want to give any spoilers but as this story unfolds, we’ll see the effect and power of persistent prayer in our lives.

Prayer: Lord I thank you for the gift of prayer. Give us the strength to continue to grapple with this incredible gift you have given us. Thank you, Holy Spirit, that you have not left us alone, I pray you would help us to continue in prayer, continue to bring everything to God in prayer. Amen.

Challenge: Build prayer into your routine this week. Don’t worry if you forget – maybe set a remind to pray at specific time in the day or decide to pray every time you brush your teeth. Whether that’s a prayer of gratitude or bringing something concerning you to God. Flex that muscle of prayer!