How to present yourself to God

Sunday, 16 July 2023

How to present yourself to God

“When you pray...” Matthew 6. 6

While Jerusalem and Israel have fallen and been defeated, Daniel, a young exile in Babylon, remains an example of a believer when he opens his window on the Jerusalem side and begins to pray three times a day. One wonders where this practice of triple dating comes from. Perhaps listening to Psalm 55 (v 17 and 18), the young prophet cries out to God morning, noon and evening. It is perhaps also by following the example of Solomon (1 Kings 8. 48-54), that Daniel positions himself. Indeed, in his solemn prayer, the son of David said : “When in the land where they are captive, Your children will pray, if they turn to the land which You gave to their ancestors, to this city which You have chosen and towards the temple that I have built for You... be attentive.” Even the posture of Daniel, on his knees, seems inspired by Solomon : “During this solemn prayer, Solomon had kept on his knees.” Far from his roots and the gaze of his fellow citizens, far from his landmarks and habits, in a foreign and hostile land, Daniel remains an attentive believer and he knows that God is watching and listening to him. He adopts a piety and rituals that can be reproached to him (and this is what will happen in the rest of his story), but no matter : his religious and spiritual convictions remain in a beautiful fidelity. Perhaps the ritual even helps him to live this fidelity where he lacks the bearings. Without looking for where Jerusalem is to orient your body in prayer, without automatically aiming for a triple daily appointment, without feeling obliged to get down on your knees... it is probably not useless to ask yourself the question: where am I ? What position am I in ? How do I present myself when I decide to enter into prayer, and therefore into the very special presence of God, who, if he is my faithful and tender friend, is also the thrice-holy God, Lord creator of everything that exists, from one eternity to another ?

Source (His Word for Today)