Daniel
Daniel 6:1-10, 16-23
It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”
So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever! The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” So King Darius put the decree in writing.
Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”
A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.
At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
Like Esther, Daniel was able to rise of a position of power even while living in an enemy nation. This put a target on his back which only grew as Daniel gained more and more favour with King Darius. Still, Daniel does not allow himself to be distracted by playing politics, he focuses on his daily practice of prayer and living with integrity. Those habits of prayer and faith continue even when they come into direct conflict with the law of the land. Daniel knows that God’s law was greater than the king’s law and that God would protect him even when his position of power would not. He chooses to remain faithful even though it may cost him not just his position, but his life.
Sometimes we too have to make difficult decisions. Will we hide behind our positions and titles? Will we do what’s right even when it might cost us? Do we trust that God will be with us, as God was with Daniel in the lion’s den? What Daniel shows us is that these decisions aren’t made in single moments, they’re made through that daily habits that shape our minds and hearts. When we develop a habit of prayer and worship, we prepare ourselves to choose faith and lean into God’s presence when difficult decision arise.
Prayer:
Thank God for his presence with us in every moment. Consider any difficult decisions that you have to make, or ways that you could use your influence/position faithfully. Ask God to help you develop habits of faith that will sustain you and give you wisdom in the face of difficult times.