Friday, March 3, 2023

Daniel and the Lions​

Daniel was brought and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you faithfully serve, deliver you!" Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; sleep fled from him. Then, at break of day, the king got up and hurried to the den of lions. When he came near the den, he cried out anxiously, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you faithfully serve been able to deliver you from the lions?" Daniel then said to the king, "O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions' mouths so that they would not hurt me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no wrong." Then the king was exceedingly glad and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. No kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. Daniel 6:16,19-23
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I’ve always loved this story. It starts off sad, because Daniel is in the den, condemned to die, because people have lied to the king about Daniel. Even though the king knew in his heart that Daniel was innocent, he had no choice but to follow the law.

Fortunately, God did what the king was unable to do. Through Daniel’s prayers and faith and God’s mercy, the lions did no harm to Daniel. He was saved. The people who lied about Daniel were not so lucky. Soon, at the king’s command, they took Daniel’s place in the den and their outcome was much different. From that time forward, the king encouraged everyone to believe in Daniel’s God.

Daniel’s faith is an inspiration to me. Though I don’t face a real lion, I – just like you – have my share of worries and troubles and sometimes they feel like they might overcome me. When I start to feel overwhelmed, I think of this story and, like Daniel, say a prayer or two and put my trust in God. God has always proven to be so much bigger and stronger than any of my worries, and finds a way every time to draw me back out of that pit.

Prayer:
Dear God, whenever I am scared, help me to trust in you, like Daniel did. Save me from my lions, I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sheri Rider