Devotional by Michelle Newton
Daniel 6
At the very beginning we see that the character of Daniel was certain and full of integrity. He was walking in the fear of God. At this time, he was serving under King Darius.
A decree was set that no one was to worship any other god or human being except for King Darius for the next 30 days.
If they didn’t obey the decree, they were to be thrown into the lion’s den. After hearing this, Daniel immediately goes back to his home and goes to his upstairs room. He prays 3 times a day to Jehovah, the Living God, with the windows open toward Jerusalem.
I noticed in this passage that Daniel feared God more than anyone else. He knew that
Jehovah God was his source and where he could get his help from. Through it all, he continued to thank God.
The King tried to save him up until sundown, but it was of no avail. While Daniel was being
thrown into the lion’s den the King said to him, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” With this in mind I ask myself and I ask you: What kind of influence do we have with those around us and in our community? Do they know the God we serve?! The next day as the King rolled the stone away he called out 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 declares, “My God sent an angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me!”
There was a lady who asked a Pastor to look at a particular picture of Daniel and the lion’s den. As he was looking at the picture, he noticed the lions. One lion’s head was down, the other one was looking up. He noticed bones on the ground. Then she told him, “Do you know what I see? I see Daniel, his hands tied behind his back, but his face is toward the window looking up.” The Pastor soon realized that his focus had been on his problems. In spite of what he was going through or feeling he could trust God to take care of him. This Pastor was learning that the more we focus on the problems, the bigger they will become! Daniel had realized that the God of the Universe created these lions and He was the One that was truly in control!
May we all learn to trust God with our problems. He is God.
He created and cares about you personally and delights in you!
References: Psalm 18:19, Psalm 37:23, Psalm 149:4