A Habit of Prayer

What if a law were passed in the United States of America tomorrow that made it illegal to pray? You could no longer pray in a restaurant when your meal arrives. You could no longer pray in church or even in your home.

Would you obey that law?

I wouldn’t, because there are times when the laws of God supersede the laws of man, and that would be one of those times.

The Bible tells us that the prophet Daniel faced that very situation. King Darius signed a new law that made it illegal to pray to anyone but him for thirty days.

Now, Daniel could have said, “I’m long overdue for a vacation. I’m going to leave town for thirty days, and when I get back that law will be expired.”

Or, he could have said, “You know, I’m pretty prayed up, so I think I could go without praying for thirty days.”

Then again, Daniel could have said, “I can be subtle. I don’t have to close my eyes or get on my knees. I’ll kind of do it undercover.”

But Daniel didn’t change a single thing. The Bible tells us, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days” (Daniel 6:10 NLT).

It’s been said, “Sow a thought, reap an act. Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a destiny.” This can be good or bad, depending on what kind of a habit it is.

Daniel had a habit of prayer. He was a man of prayer. And we, too, should be people of prayer.