Through The Bible in a Year - April 24, 2026

"While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel…" - Daniel 9:20

It would have been easy for Daniel to pray for others while quietly exempting himself from the need for God’s pardoning mercy. After all, he was a prophet. He had been faithful and courageous for decades. Surely a prayer confessing the sin of God’s people by a prophet was about them — not about him.

Daniel refused that personal escape hatch. He plainly said that he was "confessing my sin and the sin of my people." Not just their sin, but our sin. My sin!

This is the posture of spiritual maturity. It is easy to diagnose and describe the failures of others. It is far harder — and far more humbling — to stand beside them and say, "Me too. I need mercy too." We have a natural tendency to point outward when describing the failings that require God’s mercy. The child blames the sibling. The adult blames the spouse or the boss. But rarely do we simply say, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner."

This kind of honesty is not weakness. It is the foundation of freedom. When we stop evading our need for pardon, stop hiding to protect our reputation before God, stop trying to prop ourselves up with professions of our sufficiency, then God releases us from the dark corners of guilt and pride in which we have hidden from ourselves and others. When we simply say "me too," we find ourselves in the sunlight of mercy that lights the path to God’s greatest blessings with others and with him.

PRAYER: Lord, it is so easy for me to see the sins of others and so hard to see my own. Give me the humility of Daniel — to stand not above my brothers and sisters in judgment, but beside them in honest need. Today I say: me too. I need Your mercy just as much as anyone. Strip away my pride and let me come to You with an open and honest heart. In Jesus' name, Amen.