I thought I would share some thoughts on Daniel 6 which records the miraculous story of Daniel in the lion's den. Daniel was an exceptional character and he served an exceptional God! Daniel was successful; he was envied; and he was targeted by his enemies. Most of us know the story from Sunday school. If you haven't read the story, take a few minutes this week and read Daniel 6. Daniel was successful for three reasons: 1) he chose character over comfort (1:8), 2) he chose discipline over disorder (6:10), and 3) he chose love of God over love of life (6:10, 13). But, his success and his love for God eventually got him thrown into the lion's den. This trial in Daniel's life has a happy ending, because God sent an angel to close the mouths of the lions.
I believe in miracles and I hope you do too. So, It's not difficult for me to believe that the God of the universe could close the mouths of lions or protect Daniel's friends in the fire. What is of interest to me is Daniel's situation in Babylon. Here's what I mean . . . .
Daniel, along with his friends, came to Babylon as an exile; a slave. He was chosen to serve in the king's court and received special training. The city and the culture was foreign and alien to Daniel's beliefs, values, and religious practices. Jerusalem was only a memory and the Temple was long gone. And yet, here's Daniel serving with success and continuing to believe and live for his God in a city and a culture which does not support his beliefs or behaviors.
In America today, I hear numerous Christians bemoaning the fact that America has changed and is no longer a Christian nation. As Christians, we tend to bemoan prayer-less schools and yet we live in prayer-less homes. We bemoan the lack of morals in our society and yet, statistics demonstrate that Christians get divorced as commonly as non-believers. Daniel's story is a reminder to believers today that it is possible to faithfully live for God in adverse situations. God never promised us a "rose garden" or easy situations, but He did promise to be faithful to us as we faithfully walk with Him.
Daniel's story reminds me of God's faithfulness and challenges me to live for God in difficult situations. Go for it . . . you can do it! See you Sunday! Pastor Tom
