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. Daniel 8:17-18
Daniel prayed for the restoration of Jerusalem. It had been 70 years of captivity, as prophesied by Jeremiah. In his prayer Daniel appeals to God according to His great compassion, not the merit of God’s people.
Do I realize that I can only stand before God based on the merits of Jesus Christ? Am I on the works plan or the grace plan?
God, as Daniel realized, I ask that You let Your face shine on me, not because of any merit of my own, but because of Jesus life, death and resurrection on my behalf. I am a desolate sanctuary in need of filling. May I shine for Your sake today.
