A.B. Simpson emphasizes the significance of desire in the spiritual life, illustrating how Daniel was referred to as a 'man of desires' or 'greatly beloved' by God. He explains that strong desire is essential for effective prayer, as it fuels our intentions and petitions to God. Indifference and apathy hinder our spiritual growth, and often God uses challenging circumstances to awaken our desires and lead us to deeper trust. Simpson encourages believers to cultivate a heart filled with Christ's love, which transforms our prayers into powerful forces that not only express our needs but also invite God's assistance. Ultimately, he calls for a divine fire of holy desire to ignite our spiritual lives.

0 man of desires was the divine character given to Daniel. The thought is translated in the King James version, A man greatly beloved. But it literally means, 0 man of desires. Desire is a necessary element in all spiritual forces. It is one of the secrets of effectual prayer. What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them (Mark 11:24). The element of strong desire gives momentum to our purposes and prayers. Indifference is an unwholesome condition; indolence and apathy are offensive both to God and nature. So it is in our spiritual lives: God often has to wake us up by the presence of trying circumstances and push us into new places of trust by forces that we must subdue. There is no factor in prayer more effectual than love. if we are intensely interested in an object or an individual, our petitions become like living forces. Not only do they convey their wants to God, but in some sense they convey God's help back to us. May God so fill us today with the heart of Christ that we may glow with the divine fire of holy desire.