The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. (Daniel 9:9)
Daniel the prophet, understood from the Scriptures that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. So he turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. He prayed to God and confessed: "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws."
Acknowledging sin is the first step to restoration. The Israelites had sinned and now they were undergoing punishment in a foreign land. Daniel confessed the sins of God's people and then he acknowledged the merciful and forgiving nature of God.
Truly, our God is merciful and forgiving. If we repent of our sins, God restores the intimate relationship that we desire with him. Repentance means turning away from sin and bearing fruit that indicates repentance.
We, as believers, must often check our lives to see whether we are really walking with God; for that is what he desires from us. Praise the Lord.
