Living by the Book/Living by the Book Workbook Set (82 page)

• Does anything here prompt a confession for recent actions or thoughts?

• Like Paul, do you know anyone for whom you would like to petition God, praying for the best God has to offer them based on Ephesians 3?

Reading the Bible prayerfully should not only help you get more from Scripture; it should make prayer become much more natural and effective for you. Remember, stop trying to compare your prayers to anyone else’s. Prayer is simply communication between you and God. Be yourself, and you’ll do much better at seeing God for who He really is.

TODAY’S PASSAGE:

Daniel 6

TIME COMMITMENT:

30–60 minutes

“It is sad but true that the average person thinks that reading the Bible is dreadfully boring. . . . Yet I’m convinced that the reason Scripture seems dull to so many people is that we come to it dully” (p. 106).

R
ead Daniel 6 to remind yourself of the facts about this well-known story. Then put your imagination in gear as you read the chapter again—this time trying to put yourself in Daniel’s place.

First try to determine how you would feel if you were Daniel. Suppose you have gone out of your way to remain faithful to God in an environment where you may be one of the only people who fear God. You know how you ought to feel in such a situation, but try to identify how you would really feel if this were happening to you instead of Daniel. For example:

• How would you feel about peers who went out of their way to find you guilty when you had done nothing wrong?

• How would you feel about a boss who claimed to like you, but who wouldn’t stand up for you under pressure from the group?

• How would you feel about God’s willingness to let you be found guilty and sentenced?

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How would you feel about yourself when your faithfulness had apparently gotten you nowhere?