“My Utmost for His Highest” (Daniel 6:10) - The 2014 Thanksgiving Service –

“My Utmost for His Highest” (Daniel 6:10)

- The 2014 Thanksgiving Service –

Three Levels of Thanksgiving

According to Open Doors USA’s report, North Korea ranks first where Christian persecution is most severe in the world for the 12^th consecutive year. About 50,000 to 70,000 Christians suffer daily in political prison camps. One time Pastor Eric Foley, founder of Seoul USA mission organization, had a chance to meet North Korea underground Christians for the first time. He said to them, “Oh, how difficult it is! How can I pray for you?” Their answer really surprised him. They said, “We always rejoice and give thanks to God. We don't ask God to deliver us from persecution. We pray we'll stay strong and faithful in the midst of this suffering.”

The Bibles gives us three levels of thanksgiving. The first level teaches us to be thankful in the most basic sense. “Thank you, Lord, for all your blessings!” Then there is the second level of thankfulness that truly thanks God for more specific things. It is an intentional effort to find something for which to thank God in everyday life. “Thank you, Lord, for your guidance!” But then there is another level of giving thanks. This is the kind of thanksgiving in every situation, even in the most challenging of circumstances. It is a thankfulness that trusts God and is even grateful for the bad things. “Lord, I thank you because you are faithful and trustworthy!” This morning we meet one person who does his very best in thanking God in the worst of circumstances. His name is Daniel. Daniel 6:10 says, “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” (NKJV). What a wonderful verse of scripture on thanksgiving! And what a challenging verse to all of us! Daniel gave thanks to God at the risk of his life. The question is now – how is it possible? What caused Daniel to give thanks to God even in that situation? There are at least three main reasons behind.

His Convictions

First of all, it is because of his convictions. Daniel already knew that the decree had been signed (v.10a). The enemies slyly deceived the king and published the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except the king, shall be thrown into the lions den. Daniel knew it was the enemies’ scheme to destroy him. But, he resolved to continue to pray and give thanks to God at the risk of his life. He could have compromised. He could have shut his windows and pray in secret and in silence for the next thirty days. But no, Daniel had the windows open wide and gave thanks to God, not once, but three times a day! He knew that in times of trouble the only way to live was to run and take refuge in God. When he was young, he saw how Israel collapsed because of idol worship. So after he was exiled into Babylon, he resolved not to defile himself with the king’s food because that food had been offered to idols first. It was not simply a matter of food. It was a matter of worshipping the true God or worshiping false gods. It was a matter of life and death. And Daniel always chose God.

During the 2nd century there was a devout Christian named Polycarp who was a bishop of Smyrna at that time. He was arrested for his faith and sentenced to be burned at the stake. Many tried to persuade him to change his convictions, but he answered, “For 86 years I have served Christ, and He has never done me wrong; how then can I now blaspheme my King and Saviour?” Pastor Eric Foley says, “If we carry a cross daily in public, it will be impossible to avoid being noticed.” Not only under persecution, but in everyday life there comes a time when we must choose whether we act up to our convictions or compromise in essentials. We need more godly men and women like Daniel.

His Consistency

Daniel gave thanks to God at the risk of his life because of his convictions. He also continued to pray and give thanks because of his consistency. That is the second reason. The Bibles says, “… Daniel prayed and gave thanks before his God (three times a day), as was his custom since early days” (v.10c). The year was 539 B.C. when Darius took over the kingdom. At this time Daniel would have been approximately eighty-one years old. Someone estimated that if Daniel was 81 years old and had prayed three times a day for those most of his life, he had perhaps prayed over 88,000 prayers. Daniel was a man of prayer. He was a man of thanksgiving. He started each day with a time of prayer and thanksgiving. At the middle of the day he stopped what he was doing and took a moment to pray to refocus on God and seek his guidance. And again he returned at the end of the day, meditating on God’s goodness and giving thanks to him!

The author of Psalm 119, the longest single chapter in the Bible, is unknown, but most scholars agree that it was written by David, Ezra, or Daniel. Whoever it was, in Psalm 119:164, the author says, “Lord, seven times each day I stop and shout praises for the way you keep everything running right!” (Message) This practice was retained by the early and later monks. Seven times a day they interrupted their activities and had a time of prayer. Whether it is three times or seven times a day, it doesn’t matter. The essentials are the same: it is to cultivate a personal authentic relationship with God in our daily lives. Daniel was able to pray and give thanks at the most difficult times because he already had an intimate relationship with God since his youth.

His Confidence

There is a third reason why Daniel did what he did. It is because of his confidence. Daniel believed that God answered prayer. The Bible says, “And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day…” (v.10b). Then, why did Daniel pray before an open window toward Jerusalem? To answer this question we need to go back to 2 Chronicles 6, “Solomon’s prayer.” After Solomon had built the temple in Jerusalem, he prayed to God in this way: “If your people Israel pray about their troubles or sorrow, raising their hands toward this Temple, then hear from heaven where you live, and forgive. Give your people what their actions deserve, for you alone know each human heart” (6:29-30, NLT). After this prayer, God answered his prayer as follows: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices… if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land”(7:12, 14, NIV).

Daniel believed there was power in prayer. That’s why he had been praying that same prayer in the same manner for seventy years: Prayer for revival! Daniel was convinced that when he prayed God would surely hear him and work for him. In his upper room Daniel prayed and resolved not to defile himself with the king’s food (1:8). Then, God did hear his prayer and soften the official’s heart and deliver him. In his upper room, Daniel prayed for mercy concerning King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (2:19). And then, God revealed the mystery to him in a vision. So here’s why. Today during the height of the crisis, Daniel went to his upper room as usual. He had windows opened facing Jerusalem. He had confidence that when he prayed God would work. David had the same confidence. When he volunteered to go and fight Goliath, Saul said, “No way!” But, David gave Saul grounds why he was able, saying, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine!” (1 Sam 17:37). David had confidence that the God who delivered him up to this day would work for him today as well. A waterfall begins with only one drop of water. The more we experience God in prayer even in small things, the more convinced we become that God will surely come and help us even in the worst of circumstances.

My Utmost for His Highest

However, that does not necessarily mean that God takes away our troubles when we pray. Instead, he gives us strength to take the bull by the horns, and he gives us peace during that time. The Bible says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:6-7, NIV). In 1974, North Korea communists uncovered one of the hiding places of the underground Christians. These Christians were told to lie down on the road, and the officials ordered a steamroller to run over the prostrate Christians. To maximize the pain, the steamroller started by rolling over their feet and then up toward their heads. While the Christians were waiting for their death, one of them began to sing praises, and soon the others joined their voices: “내 구주 예수를 더욱 사랑, 엎드려 비는 말 들으소서. 내 진정 소원이 내 구주 예수를 더욱 사랑, 더욱 사랑!” (“More love to thee, O Christ, more love to thee! Hear thou the prayer I make on bended knee. This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to thee; more love to thee, more love to thee!”) They prayed and gave thanks to God. And God did come and help them. He gave them strength to finish the race and peace to keep the faith until the last moment.

What gift can we bring this Thanksgiving? God is not after our begrudging sacrifice. He is after our heart, particularly our grateful heart. You may find a “Thanksgiving Post-It” in your bulletin. During the offertory please take a moment to ponder over what the Lord has done for you and what you are thankful for over the past year. Write it down and post it to “Thank You Lord” board after the service. In joy and in sorrow let us trust in God and give thanks to him with conviction, with consistency, and with confidence. That’s the most pleasing sacrifice of thanksgiving in God’s eyes. Amen.