“When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.” (Daniel 6:10, ESV)
What if the government passed a law that made it illegal to pray. Would you stop praying to preserve your life and hope God understood? Would you continue to pray but in the quietest, most secret way possible? Or would you have the courage to continue your usual prayer life regardless of the consequences?
This is the situation Daniel found himself in. When his enemies could find no fault in his conduct, they attacked him the only way they thought possible—through his devotion to God. A new decree declared that for the next thirty days no petition could be made to any god or man except the king. Daniel was known for his disciplined prayer life, and that is what they targeted. Daniel had three options.
- Not pray for the next thirty days.
- Continue to pray but do so secretly.
- Continue to pray openly as he always had.
The men knew that Daniel would not stop praying, even if it placed him in great danger. That is why they were so certain their plan would work. But they forgot one important fact. Daniel worshiped a powerful God.
THE HABIT OF PRAYER
Daniel 6:10 tells us that Daniel knelt before an open window facing toward Jerusalem and prayed three times each day. This was nothing new; it was a long-standing habit.
He could face this situation with faith. Or he could allow fear to control his decision. Knowing the character of Daniel, I don’t think it was a difficult decision. In fact, it probably was not a decision at all. He just kept living the way he had always lived.
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” (Psalm 56:3-4, ESV)
God had always come first in Daniel’s life, and that would not change now. Prayer was not just a ritual he performed; it was heartfelt love and commitment.
Daniel’s decision resulted in a night spent among the lions. The king, who had been tricked into making the edict, spent that same night sleepless and fasting for the man he greatly admired. It’s quite possible that Daniel and the lions both had a much more restful night than the king. God shut the mouths of the lions, and Daniel was safe (Daniel 6:21-23). Those who plotted against him soon suffered the fate they had wished on him.
From what we can determine in Scripture, after Daniel was taken into captivity as a youth, he never saw his homeland again. He lived in Babylon until his death at 85 to 90 years of age. Through all those years, his faith in the One True God never wavered.
FAITH OVER FEAR
We may think that the biblical account of Daniel in the lions’ den is just a nice story. Surely nothing like this happens in our day. But it does. More than 315 million believers around the world face strong persecution because of their faith. Many are killed, others are imprisoned, and places of worship are destroyed.
It’s true that many of us will never endure extreme persecution for our faith as many have down through the centuries. We live in relative safety and worship openly. But if we ever had to choose between denying our faith or facing death, would our convictions hold? Are we willing to choose faith over fear? That is a question to ponder.
Consistent prayer gives us the courage to stand strong in times that try our faith.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23, ESV)
Devotion by Mary Loudermilk
