“I strongly suspect that if we saw all the difference even the tiniest of our prayers make, and all the people those little prayers were destined to effect, and all the consequences of those prayers down through the centuries, we would be so paralyzed with awe at the power of prayer that we would be unable to get up off our knees for the rest of our lives.”- Peter Kreeft, Angels and Demons
“But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself in this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel . . .”-Daniel 1:8-9 (NIV)
In Chapter 7 (Interpersonal Intervention”) of Finding Favor, Brian Jones defines a Daniel 1:9 moment. That’s when God changes a person’s mind about something. For example, the beginning of the book of Daniel outlines the Babylonian king’s strategy for young Israelite leaders. Hence, the king divested them of their identities by giving them new names. Also, the young Israelites learned Babylonian literature as well as the language. Finally, their diet consisted of the royal food and wine.
Of course, Pastor Jones notes, the chief official had no intention of accommodating Daniel’s request. However, because God intervened at that moment and changed the official’s mind, he granted Daniel’s plea. Furthermore, writing in The Highest Good, Oswald Chambers explains what bolstered Daniel’s death-defying appeal:
“The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.”
In conclusion, in the next post Pastor Jones explains the difference between praying and asking for God’s favor.
Today’s question: have you ever found yourself paralyzed with awe at the power of prayer? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Bestowing his favor all around us”