Greatly Loved

Daniel 9:23 "At the beginning of your supplications, the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved, therefore consider the matter and understand the vision."

Isn't this interesting that as soon as Daniel started to ask...at the beginning, from the first time he approached God with his request the command, actually speech went out. God's word came out, apparently telling Gabriel to go to Daniel and tell him something. Tell him the meaning of the vision, yes, but I think to tell him something even more significant, more personal: "you are greatly beloved.". Gabriel came to Daniel and told him that God delighted in him, that he was pleasant to God, that he was precious in God's sight. Why? I think because of his heart. Here is Daniel, pleading with God for the very soul of his people. Here is Daniel confessing his people's sin and begging God to hear, to listen, to forgive and to act, and God was doing just that. He was listening and He was acting. "As soon as you began to speak, God's word went out in a command and told me, Gabriel, to get moving, because you are greatly loved by God."

Can we see the hand of God move like that today? Can I see the hand of God move like that today? Yes. I believe we/I can, but it is going to take a genuine heart from me/us. If I genuinely go to God and pour out my heart for me, my family, my church, my country - God will act. But if, in my prayer life my heart is not moved, God's heart will not be moved. If our hearts are not genuinely affected, God will not act. We need to stop going through the motions and start pleading. We need to stop playing church and be the church. We need to come to God with our heartfelt needs and watch Him work. As soon as we do, He will give the command and we will see Him work. God greatly loves us. Let's cut Him loose.