Good Morning! - Daniel 6:19-20 - Darius Rushes tol the Lion's Den - 2009.11.10

Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spoke and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?(Daniel 6:19-20)

Our God IS able! The little chorus says what we MUST believe if we would serve God effectively these days. "He's able! He's able" I know He's able! I know the Lord is able to carry me through. (Repeat that.) He healed the broken hearted, and He set the captive free. He made the lame to walk again and He made the blind to see! He's able! He's able! I know He's able! I know the Lord is able to carry me through."

Try that in the key of E-flat, then F, and then G and then A-flat. Singing through those ascending keys will give everybody a lift.

Confessing God's ability with your mouth is good medicine for discouragement. And if you don't feel like singing, hum or whistle. I don't whistle much but I do hum a lot. Humming is good for you. Sometimes I ask Barbara if she has any special humming requests. I can hum in several languages.Try it! Our God is able.

Darius did no humming. He had dismissed his chamber musicians for the night and he tossed in his bed alone. Came morning and he rushed to the lion's den. He had not yet resigned himself to Daniel's cruel death. He did not approach the lion's den in regal robe and flamboyant entourage of courtly attendants. He looked and behaved like a royal mess.The glimmer of hope still buried deep within him did not stem from the fad of the day or from the encouragement of his family or friends.

King Darius had hope only from what he had observed in Daniel's life. Whatever Daniel believed about his God was real because he practiced it to the point of his own death. He could have laid low for just thirty days—THIRTY DAYS!—set God aside for just thirty days and he would have been safe. But no! Daniel was anchored to the Rock of Ages and it was worth more to him than political correctness.

There was nothing phony about The Prophet Daniel. Some things are not for sale. When there is a conflict between politics and the living God of heaven, there's no making a deal. It has already been decided. No political idolatry. Old Daniel has demonstrated for us what to do when there is a conflict between an unruly government and God. Wicked husbands cannot rent their wives out as prostitutes and wicked political leaders cannot command our allegiance above our allegiance to the God of heaven.

Men will not always applaud you for living for God. It may cost you a job or promotion or entrance into a desired educational pursuit. Some men and women hate God with a passion and if you serve God they will see it clearly and hate you with a passion. They will not say you are wonderful because you are a Christian.

Jesus summarized it like this:

The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. (John 15:20)

Darius did not hate God or hate Daniel. He was a little slow and really not much of a politician or he would not have been so easily duped by his cronies. So don't write off everybody who has been party to penalizing you for your faith. They may realize what they have done and spend a sleepless night and visit you at the lion's den to see if the God you serve continually has been able to deliver you from the jaws of the lions.

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life (Revelation 2:10)

Memory Verse for this week:

(Psalm 103:13-14) Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust (Psalm 103:13-14).