| There are many different ways to pray. The type of prayer we offer often depends on our circumstances and needs at that time, doesn't it? For example, Daniel chapter 2 finds Daniel praying urgently in a time of crisis. In the sixth chapter he faces a strong temptation to deny the Lord. In this chapter, he is confessing the sins of his people and identifying himself with them. Looking at his prayer life from another angle, there is united prayer with his three friends in chapter 3. There is personal prayer by himself in chapter 6. There are intercessory as well as persistent prayers in chapter 9. Daniel was a man who prayed, and always did so with recognition of God's goodness. The marvellous example of prayer in this chapter arose form his reading of the prophetic Scriptures. The Word of God had stirred his heart to pray. That is how it should be. Our daily reading of God's message should lead us to prayer. Notice also that it was the realization of God's purposes which stirred Daniel to pray. Daniel could see that the time which God had decreed for the Jews to be in Babylon was almost completed. He therefore began to ask God to do what He had promised. When God plans or begins a work, He almost always lays a burden in the heart of one of His children for prayer concerning that plan. In the strange mystery of prayer, God's purposes are carried out as we co-operate with Him. Often there has to be genuine confession and cleansing before the way is clear for God to work. That is why Daniel prayed as he did. What does that say to us today? The great need of most of our churches is revival. But revival usually comes when God's people take time to look at themselves in the light of God's Word and then seek His face in repentance. Perhaps through our reading today, Daniel is giving us an example of how to do this. Are we listening to what He is saying to us? | 
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