The Dynamics of Prayer

I just opened my bible to Daniel 9, and was encouraged by reading the following verses - Daniel 9:17-23 NIV:

[17] “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. [18] Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. [19] Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”

[20] While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill--- [21] while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. [22] He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. [23] As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision:"

I was encouraged when I read this because of the swift response from Heaven. Gabriel says to him that it was as soon as Daniel started praying that word went out. The understanding is that the word, that command as other versions translate it, was response from God. I love how quickly the Lord responds, yet it is at the end of his prayer that Daniel sees Gabriel and receives the answer, or I guess it is more appropriate to say that Daniel's prayer ended when Gabriel showed up. Either way, he received an answer quite quickly.

The answer, however, plays out over the next many years, for he was praying about the restoration of Jews to Jerusalem. So if we think about it, the prayer was heard, the command was issued and things were set in motion by the command that were in answer to Daniel's prayers. I like that because it helps me understand the dynamics of prayer, and answers to prayer. So often we think we must see a specific answer to our prayer when in reality it is the proper answer from Heaven's perspective. A command comes forth with God, in response to our prayer, and it accomplishes exactly what it is commanded to do. Sometimes the notification of the answer comes immediately, sometimes a bit later, but the results are guaranteed by the God, for they are His commands. That helps me.

The final bit of encouragement comes from Gabriel's answer to Daniel, saying He was highly esteemed. The Hebrew word here translated highly esteemed, actually literally means the "heat of God", and is a proper name Chammuw'el. In other words God has a term of affection for Daniel, and its a bit of a nickname. I really do believe that the Lord looks at each of us in the same way that He looked at Daniel. We are all highly esteemed. The same Hebrew word is sometimes translated treasure, precious thing, valuable. Each of us has been personally called, individually redeemed, and our sins have been paid for by the blood of the Son of God. If that doesn't make us valuable in God's eyes nothing will. Because we are valuable and precious to him, he listens to our prayers and answers them with a command from Heaven.

So, today I am encouraged that my prayers do make a difference. God's words will fulfill that which they are meant to do (Isa. 55:11), and He answers my prayers with commands! Amen!