READING: Daniel 4-6
I remember hearing the story of Daniel in the lion’s den when I was a young teenage believer, and I’ve read these chapters many times before. I’ve preached the text more than once. I’m sure I caught this point before, but it’s more obvious to me than ever with this reading: God protected Daniel from the lions because “he had trusted in his God” (Dan 6:23). God is the God who "shuts the mouths of lions” (Heb 11:33), but Daniel would have to trust Him to learn that truth.
That’s fascinating to me. The lions were surely ferocious. I doubt it happened often that the lions failed to eat the prey. The circumstances must have been incredibly frightening. Face-to-face with the animals, Daniel had to trust the God he could not see. Over against the growls of hungry lions, he had to rely on the God whose voice is sometimes silent. He likely had to wait until the angel showed up to close the lions’ mouths. Somehow, though, he who was willing to obey God even when the king warned him about the lions was equally willing to trust God when he actually faced the lions.
I think that’s what grabs my attention. It seems to me that it’s easy to talk about trusting God when the lions are only a possibility, but it’s a completely different matter to trust Him when the lions are actually prowling around you. Untested, the former can be only words; the latter is gut-wrenching, death-defying, God-honoring faith. It’s faith that prefers the lion’s den to disobedience, and it’s faith that prefers a martyr’s death to a sinner’s life.
And, when God chooses to respond accordingly, it’s faith that clamps shut the jaws of the lion.
ACTION STEPS:
- Consider whether you are facing a “lion” today that demands you trust your God. Like Daniel, choose obedience regardless of the cost.
- If you’re facing a faith challenge, recruit some prayer partners who will intercede for you.
PRAYER: “God, thank You for these inspired stories of faith. Help me to trust You like Daniel did.”
TOMORROW¹S READING: Daniel 7-9
