Daniel and the 3x Prayer Rhythm

Daniel chapter 6 tells a famous episode from Daniel’s life. He gained favor with the King of Babylon (Darius at this time), others in the king’s court were jealous and schemed against him. Daniel didn’t stop praying to the Lord God. So, Daniel was thrown into the lion's den. He was rescued by God. And the episode ends with King Darius declaring Daniel’s God to be the one true God. However, the plot of this story only makes sense when we consider what made Daniel stand apart from the rest of the people. Do you know what that was? Hint: It was the very thing the other leaders in Babylon used against Daniel. It was Daniel’s prayer life! Daniel had a reputation for being the guy who could be found praying three times a day (morning, midday, and evening). He was predictable because he had a pattern of praying! This was used against him by the evil leaders in the king’s court. But what they didn’t realize was that this was also his superpower. And Daniel’s prayer life is what preceded his protection and perseverance from the mouth of the lions.

Have you ever wanted to have faith like Daniel? What if you could?! Really! You can! What would be the key to developing a faith like Daniel?

Praying like Daniel might be the key to developing a faith like Daniel!

Daniel faced many daunting challenges and dire circumstances, yet he walked valiantly through them with God’s favor and power. I’m convinced that Daniel’s 3x a day prayer rhythm was a hallmark of who he was. And it made all the difference! A lifestyle of prayer prepares us not to live reactively to everything that happens, but proactively as we build up a reservoir in our relationship with God so that we can be the person God calls us to be for such a time as this!

Now, you might be thinking: “Well, that was Daniel… He was special! He lived at a different time. His 3x a day prayer rhythm does not map onto my life. I don’t have that kind of time!” If you are thinking something like this, that’s okay! But let us consider something. Daniel’s “superpower” (so to speak) WAS his prayer life. And if we think Daniel just had so much spare time to pray, let’s remember that he worked in the king’s court. He was B-U-S-Y. He had MUCH to do. And yet, he had a priority above all else: prayer. Daniel’s prayer life wasn’t about keeping a streak or checking a box, but rather about staying connected and close to his Lord and God. We can glean much from him and this irrevocable rhythm of his life.

Daniel’s prayer life was so influential that it became the pattern for devoted believers moving forward.

There is a second-century document called the Didache (pronounced DID-AH-KAY), which means “teaching.” This document is one of the most important for our understanding of the early church’s teaching and instruction for Christian life. In the Didache (chapter 8, verse 3), Christians are encouraged to develop a lifestyle of prayer where they pray 3x a day: morning, midday, and evening. (Does that sound familiar?) Now, this is missing the point if it becomes legalistic. Your eternal salvation is not based on this. You do not have to do this. It is not legalistic law. But it is life-giving wisdom! If we engage this–with the right heart–we can experience what it means to spend our days walking with God!

Imagine one of your most meaningful relationships. You tend to the relationship utilizing a variety of methods. Sure, tools like phone calls, texting, and other digital forms of communication are nice to have! However, no one would argue that those forms of communication are superior to being in person with someone. Picture the intentionality of going out to dinner with a loved one or friend and taking the time to put phones down to simply be with each other! That’s being present.

Presence is the best way to tend to and enjoy any relationship! The same is true for our relationship with God. One day, we will be truly face-to-face with the Lord (see Revelation 22:4–5), but in the meantime, prayer is an invaluable tool that brings us into our spiritual union with God. Don’t miss this! We can experience more intimacy with God than many ever discover on this side of heaven! Could our lack of consistency in prayer be a reason for our perceived lack of connection with God? Please, keep up those quick and spontaneous prayers as the day goes on. But that is not the same as slowing down for a period of time to truly connect with God. After all, intimacy cannot be rushed, but it can be developed!

From the life of Daniel to the life of the early church attested by the Didache, we see the 3x prayer rhythm being a valuable asset to a disciple of Jesus. The more you learn about the practices of the early church, you realize that what we may think of as “radical Christianity” was simply normal to them. This is not to cause discouraging comparisons between us and them. Here is the encouragement: When we align our practices and lifestyles with the early church (like the 3x prayer rhythm), we can experience the power that they experienced! After all, our God is the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Next, we will unveil the final tool of this prayer pathway. The “3x Prayer Plan” tool will help you put a plan in place to implement all that we have journeyed through. But first, let us discuss what we have talked about here.