Owning it - a reflection on Daniel 9

Confessing my own shortcomings to others is difficult. Is it any easier to confess my shortcomings to God in prayer? How about the shortcomings of groups I claim to be a member of? I’d say the answer is it’s much easier to express my failings to God that are in my own control.

Prayer often goes something like this when confessing my own failures: “God forgive me for the way I acted, I was foolish to listen to my own voice or the voices of others, incline my heart to your testimonies and let me not walk in my own understanding. But when I do, show me quickly and remind me of your word which gives life.”

This prayer isn’t fun to express to God, but it covers the usual extent of ownership for my creation of chaos. What I am reflecting on in this chapter of Daniel is the tenacity of Daniel’s prayer on behalf of the Israelites. Danny our boy was in no way the cause of Israel’s exile to Babylon, yet he admits the failure to God on behalf of his people

Daniel 9:15–23 (NASB95): "And now, O Lord our God, who have brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and have made a name for Yourself, as it is this day--we have sinned, we have been wicked. "O Lord, in accordance with all Your righteous acts, let now Your anger and Your wrath turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become a reproach to all those around us. "So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplications, and for Your sake, O Lord, let Your face shine on Your desolate sanctuary. "O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name; 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, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name." Now while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God, while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. He gave me instruction and talked with me and said, "O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding. "At the beginning of your supplications the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed; so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision.

Looking at the failure of others I’m in community with should open an opportunity for me to take ownership of said failures and not condemn, criticize, or complain about the situation. Instead, I might look deeper into what I consider to be a failure for the group and see my own neglect to act, and remind myself of Daniel’s willingness to repent on behalf of his people. Being in community with others is a blessing - I should be quick to own even the groups failings and ask for deeper relationship with Jesus for myself and on behalf of the group.

Exodus 34:9 (NASB95): He said, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go along in our midst, even though the people are so obstinate, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your own possession.”

Let us ask God to dwell in our midst just as Moses asked - despite our obstinance - and in doing so experience the kingdom of heaven on earth since we have a much higher priest who has interceded on our behalf.