I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.”

Chapter 9:4, 5

We saw Daniel among hungry lions, faithful to his God.  We saw Daniel elevated by the great to be a ruler in the land always faithful to his God.  We saw Daniel serving Jehovah as a ruler under the King, pleasing God as he spoke Persian!  We stand in awe of this extraordinary man of God.  It looks like he can do no wrong.  Daniel does not see it that way.

Then Chapter 9!  Listen to him!  “We have sinned and done wrong.  We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.”  He confesses for himself and for all Israel.  Is this Daniel, the friend of God, speaking?  Is this Daniel, the man who walked so closely with God in the strange land that he dared speak the truth to the King?  Yes, it is Daniel, confessing his sin before God saying, “We have sinned and done wrong.”  It sounds strange that the great Samuel could utter this confession.  He seemed so holy!

I am convinced that this is the ultimate prayer for all believers!  We are needy sinners, not astute critics!  When we reach this point, everything changes, we are, before God, sinners!