Prayer of the Servant

"Now, our God, hear the prayers and petition of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. 
Daniel 9:17

If there is one thing that has been pressing me lately, it is my need to pray. Daniel understood the power of prayer. In this passage, he is crying out to God to restore Jerusalem. Even though he had been exiled and lived the majority of his life in Babylon, he knew that his people longed to return to their homeland. It meant more to them than any wealth or good fortune they may have been given in the foreign land. Jerusalem was their roots, their gift from God. And one servant, Daniel, cried out to God for restoration.
    There are many ways to pray. Sometimes we are praying in the power of the Holy Spirit, other times we are simply crying out for help. Sometimes the needs in our own lives are so seemingly huge that we cannot muster up the faith or courage to pray as we ought. It is not so much the kinds of prayers we pray that impresses God, it is simply the heart from which we pray. He understands the struggles we contend with and he knows our hearts. There is no hiding from God. It is not so important how we pray, it is important that we do pray.
    When times are good, we ought to be thankful and pray all the more. It is in those times when we have great faith, hope and confidence in our God who has provided richly for us. When hard times befall us, we should pray simply to cry for help. It is not an imposition to God. He wants to help us. He wants to give us the desires of our hearts and he wants to see us through the difficult times. Whether it is in plenty or in want, our need to pray is constant. I have found that when I pray outside of my own circumstance, there is a blessing that follows. Prayer is selfless. I know God answers our prayers and cares for our needs whether we ask correctly or not. He is not concerned about the words, he is concerned about our hearts. He wants us to pray because he wants to have the connection. He doesn't want to be our God from afar, he wants to be right here with us. It is not his position that changes, it is ours. We make the choice to be draw close or stay at a distance,.
    There is so much to pray about, so many to pray for. The needs are great. There are those who are sick, those who are in great financial need, those who are grieving, those who are hurting. There are many going through such horrendous circumstances that we cannot imagine the pain they are suffering. There are people around the world in need of Jesus. The servant's prayer is not always for himself. He humbles himself before God and asks him for things that he knows can be provided. He prays for his friends, his brothers and sisters, his nation, and his world. Could we take up the cause? Could we pray simply because we want to be with our Father? Could we pray the prayers of a servant of God? It is not only our responsibility, it is our pleasure. A servant is humble and in great need of his Master's care. We are sons and daughters, yes. But sometimes we need to take the mantle of the servant....and pray.