Among LionsSample

CONTEXT: Daniel continues praying three times a day despite King Darius’ law forbidding any worship to anything or anyone other than himself.

Relationships take time, effort, and intentionality to grow. Our relationship with God is no different. We can’t expect to have a strong relationship with Him without intentionally and consistently showing up.

Daniel understood this. Over and over, we’ve seen how his character was a direct reflection of his relationship with God. Daniel made God a priority by spending time with Him daily in prayer. He didn’t wait until bad things happened to reach out to God. He stayed constantly connected to Him. In fact, after Daniel knew a law had been passed forbidding worship to anything other than the king, Daniel went to his upper room, knelt on his knees, thanked him, and prayed.

For many of us, prayer can be intimidating. We’re unsure what to say or do, so we avoid it. Prayer is simply a conversation with God, a time for you to honestly share what’s on your heart with Him. Prayer invites us to be vulnerable with God, trusting Him with our fears, anxiety, emotions, and needs. It’s also a time for us to be still so we can learn to listen to God’s voice.

Prayer is also an opportunity to praise God for who He is and thank Him for what He’s done. Daniel illustrated this multiple times when he gave God the glory for providing and protecting him.

Like Daniel, our relationship with God can grow stronger and deeper through daily prayer. Although God desperately wants to spend time with you and grow your relationship with Him, He will never force His way into your life. Instead, He is patiently waiting to be invited.

CONSIDER THIS:

1. Think about your daily routine. Do you currently prioritize time with God? If not, what needs to shift so you can begin to intentionally grow your relationship with Him?

2. Does prayer intimidate you? Or are you comfortable being honest and vulnerable with God?

3. Write a prayer praising God for who He is, thanking Him for what He’s done in your life, and sharing any fear or need you have.