Day 2: Daniel’s Confession

Week One: Look, Mourn, Confess

Written by Nathan Dahm

Day 2: Daniel’s Confession

September 15, 2024

Daniel 9:4-6

"and I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; we have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land."

Devotional

Welcome to The Turnaround’s 52 Days of Prayer!

Introduction

Welcome to day two. May Daniel’s prayer be a starting point for personal reflection and communal repentance, leading us all closer to the heart of God.

Insight

In the quiet of this moment, let us reflect on the words of Daniel, a man who, despite his personal righteousness, interceded for his people. Today, we come before the Lord, not in our own righteousness, but in the righteousness of Christ, to intercede for our nation.

We need to acknowledge that our country, like ancient Israel, has turned away from his commandments. We have pursued our own desires, forgotten Your laws, and neglected your Word. We have allowed our hearts to grow cold to Your love and indifferent to the
teachings of your Son Jesus.

We need to confess to our Almighty God that we have not listened to his servants, the prophets, who spoke in his name. Our leaders and people alike have strayed, seeking wisdom from the world rather than from His Word. We have built our lives on shifting
sands rather than the solid rock of Christ.

We need to repent. We must turn from our ways and ask for his forgiveness. We need to recognize that without God, we are lost. We have seen the consequences of our rebellion: division, strife, and a moral compass that no longer seems to even exist. We need the Lord to guide us back to the path of righteousness.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We must ask God to draw our nation back to him. Let there be a revival of faith, a turning back to the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. May our hearts be stirred, our minds renewed, and our actions reflect Your
love and grace.

We conclude, with the hope that as Daniel’s prayer moved You to act, our heartfelt repentance and return to You will bring healing to our land. We trust in Your mercy, Your love, and Your transformative power. In Jesus’ name, we pray.

Prayer

We pray for our leaders, that they might seek Your face, govern with wisdom from above, and lead with integrity. May they be men and women after Your own heart, leading our nation in paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake.

Unite us, Lord, under the banner of Your love. Let us, as a people, come together in humility and repentance, seeking not our own but Your kingdom. May our churches be beacons of hope, shining Your light in the darkness.