Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.” — Daniel 6:9
You’re a grade schooler. There’s the basketball, the clarinet, or the skateboard.
Without question, you heard your new coach, band teacher or peer say a word that at first landed neutrally and then became heavy. “Practice.”
Daniel practiced. He practiced prayer. I’m not sure the prophet would call prayer “practice,” but he would not disagree that what he was doing three times a day, every day, was not something like practice—especially when he was a grade schooler. Likely someone helped or encouraged the young one to pray with intent or meaning. As a boy and then early teen, Daniel didn’t turn that person down or away. After all, he had to learn how to pray—or be encouraged to pray—by someone.
So, yes, prayer became his practice. Then it became his discipline. Then it became his delight, his joy. Like the basketball, clarinet or skateboard, prayer was natural to him. Prayer was him.
Prayer was needed because while indeed he was faithful, he was also still human. Even if it was only a whisper of a thought, just a quick “something” in passing, he likely heard in his mind on that fateful night, “You know, you’ve safely been with these lions for a few hours now. This doesn’t mean that at least one of them won’t like a midnight snack.”
Yes, God did shut the mouths of those lions throughout the night. Daniel also prayed through the night. Even if he, like the lions, slept so deeply, he still had something to say to God before nodding off. I imagine the words then—the prayer—was a thank you.
Practice prayer. There is no good or bad prayer. It’s nothing you have to get good at doing.
But there is consistent prayer. Consistent prayer comes with practice.
And yes, like Daniel, there will be a night or two when you’ll need to give your thank you to God amidst some kind of hungry lion or two.
PRAYER: Help us see (or see again) how wonderful prayer is, O God. And yes, yes, thank You for giving us those who have shown us how to pray. Amen.