The story of Daniel in the lion’s den is just about one of the best-known Bible stories out there. I know for my part I can recite the storybook version of this episode backward and forwards. Daniel refuses to pray only to the king and stays true to God. Daniel gets thrown into the lion’s den for his troubles. Daniel is saved by God shutting the mouths of the lions and keeping him from harm. You can rattle off the details of this story in a moment and be on with your day.
But we so often forget to peel back the layer of literary context and remember that as the story unfolds, Daniel doesn’t know the outcome as we do. We can relax into our reading and breeze by because we know what’s coming. Yes, Daniel will be thrown into a den of lions, but we don’t really register any alarm or emotion on his behalf because we know that just a paragraph or two later he’ll be brought out safe and sound.
Daniel didn’t have the same assurance that we do when we read his story. He didn’t know God was going to shut the mouths of the lions. He didn’t know the king would have a sleepless night that would make him reconsider. He didn’t know that relief was just around the corner in the morning.
What he did know was that this exile had been harsh and cruel to his fellow Israelites. Very likely, he’d already seen or at least heard of people not much different that him being killed for far lesser infractions. Personally, he’d been around when three of his friends were caught refusing to bow down to a statue and were thrown into the furnace. His friends were miraculously delivered, but if I were in Daniel’s shoes the nagging thought would be creeping around my mind “Well that was them, but what about me?”
But what does Daniel do? He prays. He prays despite all the odds against him and even the direct order not to. He prays to a God he knows is listening to him and cares deeply about him. In this moment where the easiest thing in the world would have been to panic and give in to the demands of the world, Daniel stands firm. And he does so knowing that the act could very well cost him his life
Daniel had no way of knowing for sure that he would be delivered, and still, he remained faithful.
What God did to the lions was unfathomably miraculous and should inspire a sense of awe and reverence in us. Yet along with that, we can’t afford to miss the example to our own lives that God helped Daniel provide.
There will be times in your life when you have no assurance of a good outcome and God will ask you to step out in faith regardless. In those moments, we cannot afford to waver, no matter the cost. And the cost could be great indeed. But if your faith is built around the expectation of ease and worldly assurance it will crumble at the first real test. Daniel’s lot was not easy. Arguably it was terrifying, and yet he was looking to something far beyond his own worldly comfort and assurance.
For every Daniel in history, there are a slew of martyrs who did lose their earthy lives for their faith. Their belief was no less worthy because they died and the Bible mentions with some regularity how much honor will be shown to them. So know this, whatever may happen to you on earth, your unwavering faith in God will not be wasted. The cost of following God on earth will be nothing compared to the rewards in Heaven. Following God is always worth it.
Hold fast, stand firm, and know that no matter your outcome here on earth your heavenly Father cares deeply for you and will see you through.
Let’s find some joy,
A
Avalon Robinson Author 