Read Daniel 6:10-16
Daniel really is in the hot seat. He learns of the decree issued by the King - for the next 30 days anyone who prays to any god or any other person except to the king shall be turned into cat food. How would you react if you were in Daniel’s sandals? Before you answer that just think how close we really are to that situation here in our own day in our own Aussie culture. We’ve already seen gospel ministers jailed for preaching the sinfulness of homosexuality. It won’t be long before laws are passed - anyone caught proselytising will be fined and jailed. Anyone caught speaking against other religions or other gods will be reprimanded. Anyone who narrow-mindedly deems only one God and one means of salvation shall be ousted from the fellowship of churches.
How you and I would react in those situations is easy to determine. How you are reacting now foreshadows how you will react then. Are you building a strong relationship with the Lord now? Are you praying passionately and consistently now? Are you walking valiantly with the Lord now? Praise God if you are doing these things now, you’ll do them when the enemy strikes. If you are living for the Lord today, you’ll be ready to die for Him tomorrow. If you were asked to participate in a triathlon tomorrow your performance would be gauged by your current levels of exercise and preparation. Our spiritual lives are exactly the same!
In the face of danger and possible extinction, notice what Daniel does. He did what he always did - he went to the upstairs room and prayed. He knelt before the Lord and gave thanks. He praised God. We are called to rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS, not just when life is going well. Even in the darkest pit, when our lives are threatened, we are called to rejoice in the Lord. Such rejoicing only comes when we have the sovereign Lord Jesus firmly in our sights and when we are walking close to Him. Daniel didn’t praise God that he was an old man, 80ish, and so thin and bony that the Lion’s wouldn’t like him. He didn’t praise God that he was finally going home from a rotten world. We aren’t told what Daniel praised God for. However, we can guess that it was about God and His character and His ability to save. He probably focused on God and praised God for who He is and what He’s done. When the battle strikes will you be found praising God? Will you be singing glory to God? Will you walk forward in victory with the victor’s song joyously emanating from your lips? If you live for God today, I know you will.
Prayer:-
þ Spend time praising God for who He is and for what He’s done.
þ Pray for the various committee groups in your church.
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