God's Goodness: He Warns Us

"To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him." (Daniel 9:9)

How great is God's love here, that though all Israel disobeyed God's law (Daniel 9:11), mercy and forgiveness could still be offered to them.

Yet a great disaster was brought upon the people because they rebelled (v12). God's mercy comes with justice, for righteousness belongs to God (v7).

One way in which God demonstrated His mercy was by making it clear what would happen should His people sin.

Why? To warn them against disobedience, that they would choose goodness. Daniel notices that disaster happens just as the Law of Moses said it would (v13).

Likewise for us today, the consequences of obedience and disobedience are clear in the Bible: "For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." (Romans 8:13) The Israelites knew, yet they disobeyed God.

We know too. But what will we choose to do?

God's Goodness: He Answers Prayers

‘And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. At the beginning of your supplications the command went out...’ (Daniel 9:22-23)

Here, the angel Gabriel speaks to Daniel, noting that a command went out for him to answer Daniel's prayer when he had begun to pray. Sometimes we think that we must pray for long hours before we are heard. But Gabriel's words urge us to have faith: God knows our needs, even before we ask Him.

God is pleased with us asking others to pray for us too, especially those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22). Interestingly, some believers have experienced that though they do not always remember to pray for those who have asked of them, yet God still answers the prayer.

Who can you pray for today?