Daniel (Greek) 6:13-18: a reflection

13Then they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, doesn’t respect you, O king, nor the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.” 14Then the king, when he heard these words, was very displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored until the going down of the sun to rescue him. 15Then these men assembled together to the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree nor statute which the king establishes may be changed.” 16Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.” 17A stone was brought, and laid on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting. No musical instruments were brought before him; and his sleep fled from him.

When a decree is signed forbidding prayer to anyone but the king, on pain of the lions' den, Daniel does not stop praying. His enemies find him doing exactly what he had always done: making his petition to God three times a day, as before. He does not hide his prayer, nor stop it to save himself; he continues his devotion to God faithfully, though it now means the lions' den. Daniel's faithfulness to God in prayer did not bend to the deadly decree; he kept praying, whatever the cost.

Notice Daniel's steadfast faithfulness: he kept up his devotion to God though it cost him the lions' den. The decree threatened death for praying; Daniel could have stopped, or hidden his prayer, to save himself. But he did not; he continued his prayer to God, openly, three times a day as before, though it meant being thrown to the lions. His faithfulness to God did not bend to the threat; his devotion continued unbroken, whatever the cost. He would not compromise his devotion to God even to save his life.

That steadfast faithfulness is worth taking to heart, for our own devotion to God can be tested by cost, and we are tempted to compromise it to spare ourselves. There can be times when faithfulness to God, our prayer, our devotion, our obedience, costs us something, and we are tempted to bend, to stop, to hide it, to save ourselves; but Daniel kept praying though it meant the lions' den. Do not compromise your devotion to God to spare yourself when it is tested; be steadfast, as Daniel continued his prayer though it cost him the lions' den. Hold to your devotion to God faithfully, whatever the cost, rather than bending it to save yourself, as Daniel would not stop praying though the decree threatened death; for faithfulness to God is worth more than sparing ourselves, and Daniel kept his devotion unbroken, whatever the cost, trusting God with the outcome.

Lord, when a decree is signed forbidding prayer to anyone but the king, on pain of the lions' den, Daniel does not stop praying. His enemies find him doing exactly what he had always done: making his petition to you three times a day, as before. He does not hide his prayer, nor stop it to save himself; he continues his devotion to you faithfully, though it now means the lions' den. Daniel's faithfulness in prayer did not bend to the deadly decree. Show me Daniel's steadfast faithfulness: he kept up his devotion to you though it cost him the lions' den. The decree threatened death for praying; Daniel could have stopped, or hidden his prayer. But he did not; he continued his prayer to you, openly, though it meant being thrown to the lions. His faithfulness did not bend to the threat; his devotion continued unbroken, whatever the cost. Take that steadfast faithfulness to my heart, for my own devotion to you can be tested by cost, and I am tempted to compromise it to spare myself. There can be times when faithfulness to you, my prayer, my devotion, my obedience, costs me something, and I am tempted to bend, to hide it, to save myself; but Daniel kept praying though it meant the lions' den. Keep me from compromising my devotion to you to spare myself when it is tested; help me be steadfast, Lord, as Daniel continued his prayer though it cost him the lions' den. Help me hold to my devotion to you faithfully, whatever the cost, trusting you with the outcome.