Knee mail

"Although Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he continued to go to his house, which had windows in its upper room open toward Jerusalem, and to get down on his knees three times a day to pray to his God and praise him, just as he had done previously." Daniel 6:10

     A popular church sign reads, "God answers knee mail." The kneeling prayers of Daniel demonstrate the power of knee mail. Today, let us advance on our knees.

     As a young man, he lived during a difficult time when his beloved country, Israel, was captured by the Babylonians in 539 BC. The cruel invaders plundered Israel without mercy. Many promising young men were forcibly brought into the Babylonian king's palace to serve as servants and slaves.

     Daniel was one of the most promising captives. From the very beginning of his ordeal, he resolved not to religiously defile himself in a foreign land. Daniel faithfully served several Babylonian kings during his lifetime with dignity and honor, strength and courage.

     By being a man of his word and faithful to his God, Daniel made many powerful political enemies, who could find no corruption or negligence in him. What they did discover was that Daniel knelt in prayer three times a day, praising God even in his captivity.

     His enemies ingeniously petitioned the reigning king to sign a document forbidding all the people in Babylon from praying to anyone divine or human, other than the king himself. Anyone who disobeyed the ordinance would be thrown into a den of lions.

     Upon hearing the document was signed, Daniel went home to pray. The conspirators came and found him on his knees, and brought him to the king. Against his better judgement, the king reluctantly had Daniel thrown into the lion's den.

     After sealing Daniel in the den of lions, the king spent a sleepless night. At dawn's light, the agitated king hurried to the lions den and called out, hope against hope, to Daniel.

     Miraculously, Daniel was alive and unharmed. God had sent an angel to shut the lion's mouths so he would not be hurt. The king gave the command to release Daniel, and to throw his accusers and their families to the lions, where they were overpowered and killed before their bodies reached the bottom of the den.

     As you pray today, remember the inspiring example of Daniel. Spend a few minutes in knee mail, and ask God for divine mercy and intervention for the healing of Zimbabwe and her people. Dare to be a Daniel in prayer, expecting God's many answers. Resolve to pray for years if necessary, trusting God to heal your beloved country and to be with you when in harm's way. May God bless you with many guardian angels.

     Prayer: O God, help me pray for Zimbabwe with the faithfulness of Daniel. Deliver Zimbabwe from political corruption and evil. Mercifully protect innocent people from harm. Send your guardian angels throughout the land. Amen.

Written by Rev. Dr. Sandy Bochonok
http://soulfoodministry.org
September 19, 2002
Permission is given to freely distribute this reflection throughout Zimbabwe.