We begin the 4-part Stewardship series "Trust in the Lord" with the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den. I hope this story is familiar to you because if it is, then I also hope the following four questions bring nuance, purpose and a greater appreciation and application of the story we will share together this Sunday, October 6th.
1.) Scripture does not record what Daniel says before he is tossed into the den. What would you say? What would you pray?
2.) What you would or could say and/or in this story before facing the lions indicates what you would say or could say when you're tossed into situations where trusting God is paramount. If you can make a connection between your life and Daniel's life here in these verses (and I hope you can), what could you share with yourself about facing a challenging or all-out impossible circumstance?
3.) That toss into the den? Ouch! I never pictured this to be gentle lowering down some fifteen to twenty feet below. My mind always sees this as a real toss. The following morning, scripture tells us that Daniel didn't even receive a scratch. What does this say to you about your trust in the Lord?
4.) We don't know how Daniel spent the night. We do know how King Darius struggled through those very long, very early morning hours. The text tells us the king spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night.
Which one of the two was in a hard place, Darius or Daniel? With the fasting Darius did, is it possible Darius also deeply connected with God as Daniel did?
Consider this as well. How does this specific part of the story relate times when you have had sleepless hours?
Our scripture this Sunday is Daniel 6:12-23. Here it is in the New Living Translation.
SCRIPTURE: Daniel 6:13-23
13 Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.” 14 Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament.
15 In the evening the men went together to the king and said, “Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.” 16 So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.”
17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night.
19 Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. 20 When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”
21 Daniel answered, “Long live the king! 22 My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”
23 The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.
PRAYER:
Dear ever-present and sheltering God,
Daniel was put into the den because of his faithful prayer life. Help put us in this story so that, like Daniel, we can experience You in our own upcoming dens.
Amen.