Today’s Reading: Daniel 1:21; 6
It almost seems appropriate that such a grand old well-known story as the story of Daniel in the lion’s den should have a day to itself! It seems that Daniel is not like me who sometimes gets caught off guard because I am so busy enjoying a time of success in my life! He was promoted to the highest rank and I was thinking about the characteristics the king must have noticed to lead him to promote an exile! The characteristics were – trust-worthy, not corrupt and not negligent! I was wondering how well I would score on that score sheet! Corruption seems fairly easy to spot (?) but trust-worthy seems to be far more wide ranging! Negligent? I imagine every one has their own definition of negligence! Maybe my definition is different from the boss’ definition! And then I begin to think about how I score in these areas in my service for my Lord and Saviour! Maybe these three things had become a lifestyle for Daniel!? Hopefully for me, too!
Interesting that his enemies recognized the only place to find fault with Daniel! – only when “it had something to do with the law of His God!
But Daniel steered straight ahead on his right course, either aware or unaware of the plot against him? Probably unaware? (because it says that when Daniel learned that the degree had been published…”). I think Daniel is protected or his faith was strong, because like the three men cast into a fiery furnace, for him there was no second choice! I wonder if anyone would be able to catch me praying (and I don’t mean giving thanks for a meal in the restaurant, (although I have heard a brother tell how he used to scratch his head or run his fingers through his hair as a way of disguise that he was praying for his meal!). Daniel’s habit of praying three times a day could be called a good habit, and he was directed by Scriptures to tell him in what direction he should be facing! His was not casual meaningless prayer!
And so the enemies’ plans are successful, more successful than they had thought for or more correctly – their plans had unforeseen consequences! That is why I am still learning to trust the Lord with ALL my heart, because I forget so quickly that God can see around the next corner of life and I can’t (and I am liable to blurt out like the disciples “Don’t you care that I perish?!) but what I have found a comfort is that even if I, like Job, don’t get a full answer to my questions in this life, I know for sure that He will tell me when I finish my walk of faith and trust and see Him face to face. 1 Corinthians 13 assures me that “I shall know as I am known!”
Does not your heart thrill at the beautiful words of the king when Daniel is rescued! Is my life under His good hand, a cause of rejoicing to those around me? I think if I paid more attention to the details of life when in trouble, I like Daniel could also say, “My God has sent his angel…”!
Then suddenly Daniel is gone again from view to pass an ‘ordinary’ life! I wonder sometimes whether the unending unexciting ordinary DAYS of daily life, may not be harder to live than MOMENTS or HOURS of an extra-ordinary rescue by My loving Father! Is daily life harder because I need more of the characteristic of my loving Saviour – FAITHFULNESS?
May you and I be protected in the lion’s den of today!