An Understanding Heart

“Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten (humble) thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.” Daniel 10:12

We find a couple spiritual laws in this wonderful verse in Daniel, “setting our hearts to understand”, and “chasten (which is a humbling thing to do) yourself before God”. Wow! If we abide by these laws we will be heard of the Lord! Isn’t that wonderful? I think this is the key difference between why it seems some people really receive from the Lord and why some others walk around in confusion. Psalm 37:7a states “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him”. I have found the last verse as being very helpful in my walk with the Lord. When we set ourselves to understand we are quieting ourselves before Him, actively showing Him (remember faith without action is dead) how bad we need to hear from Him and desire to speak with Him. In another devotion ( http://cgodevo.blogspot.com/2009/07/be-afflicted-and-mourn-and-weep-let.html ), I mentioned “acts conducive towards repentance” and this is one of references used to illustrate that. Notice the angel of the Lord said to Daniel “and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard”. Now we must note that if one puts the faith in these “works” alone for salvation, then they are dead works, but we see something different in how these “chastening acts” moved the hand of God in Daniel’s case. It is because Daniel did them through faith, desiring God’s heart and God knew that. This reminds us of how God looks at the heart and not the outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). Let’s take a quick look at what “setting his heart to understand” looked like. Daniel 10:2- “In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for^E)"> three weeks. I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I^F)"> anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.” We see He was turning his laughter into mourning and his joy to gloom (sounds oh so familiar to James) and he was praying, fasting and went as far as not even bathing. This sounds odd to some but I feel it is important to show God daily that we want to understand. This “Daniel principle” is mentioned in the New Testament as well, where Jesus says in Mark 8:34 “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” He who comes after me must SET HIS HEART TO UNDERSTAND, by denying himself and taking up his cross and follow Him. Jesus undertook the cross which was His specific mission, for the sins of the world, and we need to “take up our cross” fulfill our earthly responsibility to Him daily and follow Him! I promise if you do this, you will receive insight from the Lord as you never have before, because God is no respecter of persons what He did for Daniel he will do for you! Acts 10:34 & 35 read, “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” This verse is in reference to Cornelius’ conversion in Acts 10, Cornelius was the first of the gentiles to receive Jesus as Savior, the Word says about Cornelius in Acts 10:2 “A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.” So in conclusion, when you go before the Lord in prayer do not rush. When you rush you are showing no reverence. If you have a DVD to watch or a game to play or even a show on T.V. to watch, you settle in your heart and say “even if I do not get to it that is ok, I am doing a much greater thing no matter what my flesh says to do, I WILL WALK IN THE SPIRIT!”. And eventually, as the old song goes “The things of Earth, grow strangely dim in the light and glory of His grace.” If you do this it will happen, God promises.