May 24th, 2023: The Lion's Den

Daniel and the Lion's Den account in the Old Testament teaches a few lessons about faithfulness and commitment during a trying time.

To make a long story short, Daniel was one of the king's court officers. He was King Nebuchadnezzar's trusted advisor. His fellow officers became jealous. They decided to bring forward a deceptive decree to the king that no one was allowed to worship anyone else except the king. They knew about Daniel's faith in God. His punishment was death in the lion's den.

So what do we learn?

People will attack us with unjust accusations. When we decide to live for God, the evil one gets restless. It is even more painful when family members and close friends accuse us.

We must stay close to God when others have decided to leave us alone. Remind ourselves that God is aware of what we are experiencing. Our loneliness is the same feeling Jesus had before the crucifixion.

We will not have an impact on the world by asking for more power. Our faithfulness to God will define our influence on others. Having more of God in our lives is to live out the commitment in our relationships with Him.

Prayer is fundamental during such a time. We don't pray because we have needs. We pray because we long for God to have us fully. Prayer is not a religious exercise. It is a heavenly response toward intimacy with God.

Daniel 6