Our God who sees and hears

Our God who sees and hears

Scripture: “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. 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. 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.” Daniel 9:17-19

Observation: Daniel Chapter 9 gives us the account of Daniel’s prayer after he understood that the desolation of Jerusalem would last 70 years. It also tells us how the angel Gabriel came in response to his prayer and gave him very powerful prophecy about the coming of the Anointed one (Jesus Christ), and His killing. Further prophecy is also mentioned about the end times where there is war and desolation and the coming Anti-Christ and his subsequent end.

The passage today focuses on part of the prayer of Daniel which teaches us about God and about prayer. Firstly, Daniel prayed for God to hear his prayers. We have a God who hears from Heaven. When men and women on earth genuinely call out to Him for help, He hears, though He is so great and holds the entire world and universe in His hands. So when we pray, we can thank God that He hears us, and how even more so when we pray in Jesus’ name, the name of His beloved Son.

Secondly, Daniel prayed for God to look with favor upon His sanctuary for God’s sake. God is a God who loves to bless, and give His favor upon His own. In the priestly blessing, we pray that the Lord will make His face to shine upon us and be gracious to us. Like the sun shines upon the earth, giving warmth and life to every living thing, God in Heaven shines His face upon us to give us favor and blessing.  God’s sanctuary for us is His church, and we need to pray especially for God’s favor upon His church, for when His church is blessed, God’s name is glorified.

Thirdly, Daniel prayed for God to open His eyes and see the desolation of His city. Just as God is a God who hears, God is also a God who sees. The Scripture says that the eyes of the Lord range to and fro across the whole earth to strengthen those who are committed to Him. When we face a problem or need that is too big for us, be assured that God can see. He understands and can help us with exactly what we need.

Fourthly, Daniel acknowledged that all his requests to God were not based on his people’s righteousness but on God’s mercy. Our attitude in prayer should be not “God should bless me and answer my prayers because of all I have done for Him”. Instead, it should be humble and not focus on our righteousness at all, which are like filthy rags, but solely on God’s mercy and grace.

Application: In our prayers, we should thank God that He hears, that He sees, and that He is merciful. We should focus on God’s mercy and not on our own deeds. Expect that God will pour out His favor upon us according to His goodness. Pray for God’s especial blessing on the church that bears His name.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that You are indeed the living God. You see us and You hear us and You bestow Your great favor upon us though we do not deserve it. Bless You, O Lord for Your great mercy. Bless Your church especially and let it grow and prosper for the extension of Your kingdom. May Your name be praised forevermore. In Jesus name, Amen.