'The Call of the Hour'

Daniel 10:4-21a (New International Version)

 ⁴ On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, ⁵ I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist. ⁶ His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude. ⁷ I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. ⁸ So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. ⁹ Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground. ¹⁰ A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. ¹¹ He said, "Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you." And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. ¹² Then he continued, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. ¹³ But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. ¹⁴ Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come." ¹⁵ While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless.¹⁶ Then one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing before me, "I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, my lord, and I am helpless. ¹⁷ How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe." ¹⁸ Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength. ¹⁹ "Do not be afraid, O man highly esteemed," he said. "Peace! Be strong now; be strong." When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, "Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength." ²⁰ So he said, "Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come; ²¹ but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth.

As many of you know, our little church in CoMo (Columbia, Missouri for non-locals) has seen some of our very own brothers and sisters and others very close to us, go through some challeges recently. There has been sadness, tears, and most definitely some heavy-heartedness. Yet, even with all of this, the unfortunate truth is a spiritual war continues, at a fevered pitch, and it still demands that the family of believers fight faithfully through it. And our battles must be waged with prayer. Not that we should not mourn, the Bible clearly states in Romans 12:15 to 'Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.' But, with our mourning, there must be much prayer.

Daniel, in the scripture above, met an angel of God, one who was bringing him the answer to his prayers. But the angel was detained, by Satan and his evil forces, until the archangel Michael, came to free him, no doubt fueled by other subsequent prayers.

So many of us get discouraged in these times of challenge, and we quit lifting up our prayers. We stop praying vigilantly, and get more sporadic or stop all together. Yet, in the heavenly realms, the angels are battling valiently, and they rely on our prayers to give them the cover fire to complete their missions. With all that is going on, with all the challenges around, with all the people needing the power, comfort, and mercy of our God, will you rejoin the fray? If you are continuing the battle faithfully, you are an inspiration to us all. But if you, like myself, are reeling from a seemingly steady stream of bad news, there is one thing we can do to turn the tide...let's hit our knees, provide fuel for the angels, and petition our God for the needs of those in distress and for own hearts to stay faithful in the face of trouble. "Do not be afraid, O man highly esteemed," ..."Peace! Be strong now; be strong." When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, "Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength." And to God be the Glory!