What does God demand first in prayer?
God demands first a heart of thanksgiving in prayer. Daniel's example shows he gave thanks before his God, kneeling three times a day. Prayer is not only asking; thanksgiving must come first, and praying with thanksgiving puts us on scriptural ground.
Les explains that Daniel's practice reveals the secret of prayer: before petition, he gave thanks. Even though a decree required bowing and praying to the god of the Medes and Persians, Daniel went into his house, opened his windows toward Jerusalem, kneeled three times a day, and gave thanks before his God. Les notes prayer is often thought of as only asking, but what God demands first is a heart of thanksgiving; if we can pray with thanksgiving, we can rest assured we are on scriptural ground. Daniel, a young Jew in captivity far from his homeland in a pagan land, could still give thanks. Later, in chapter 9, he prays for Israel, confessing their sin, iniquity, wickedness, and rebellion, which caused their captivity.
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.