Monday, January 10, 2011

His Day in Court, or Den Rather

Finally, I get to write out my thoughts on Daniel!

As I have been trying to figure out how God works (which I will never fully accomplish...at least not in this lifetime!) and what He is trying to teach me, the story of Daniel has been running through my mind. Like Joseph, Daniel is a pretty familiar Bible character and his story is told in many a Sunday school classroom. Just as I grew up knowing about Joseph and his coat of many colors, I could tell you the account of Daniel being thrown into the lions' den by heart. In both instances, though, I didn't fully understand what was going on. I was focused solely on what was happening to these men. At 5 or even 10 years old, I wasn't thinking about their inner character. The idea that their relationships with God enabled them to respond the way they did in their difficult situations didn't even cross my mind. Yes, I could tell you their stories by memory from beginning to end, but my version had come in a nice neat little package. Now that I am older and have experienced more of life, I think God is helping me unwrap these familiar stories and discover these men for who they really were -- men who had decided that no matter what the cost, they would live in all out obedience to God.

Daniel was probably a young man when Nebuchadnezzar and his army took over Israel. As a handsome and intelligent fellow, Daniel was exiled to Babylon where he was to be trained to serve in the king's court. He first proved his devotion and obedience to God when he refused to defile himself by eating the rich and lavish, but non-kosher, foods offered to him and all the other trainees. God rewarded Daniel's faithfulness, and he was elevated in rank. Like Joseph, God enabled Daniel to interpret dreams, and in this way was promoted to high positions of authority. Unfortunately for Daniel, also like Joseph, people became jealous of him and sought to bring him harm. When Darius (the 3rd king whom Daniel served) showed a little too much favoritism towards Daniel, some of the king's administrators and officers decided that Mr. Goody-Goody needed to learn a lesson. They tricked Darius into passing a law that required the people of the land to pray only to the king; anyone found breaking this rule would be thrown into the lions' den. These men knew that Daniel would not pray to anyone but God and laid in watch for him to fall into their neatly set trap. And pray he did, not once, not twice, but three times a day, and not secretly behind some closed door either. No, no, no...Daniel threw open his window, not caring who saw or heard him, and prayed to his God. No sooner had Daniel lifted his blinds, the men were off running to the king's palace to tattle on their co-worker.

Darius was disturbed by the news and distraught with the fact that he would have to throw his beloved Daniel to the hungry lions. He tried to figure a way out of the situation, but the only solution available was to leave Daniel in the hands of his God. Turns out, being in God's hands was a good place to be, for not even the stone rolled over the lions' den could keep out Daniel's guardian angels.

Having been unable to sleep at the thought of Daniel being devoured by the lions, King Darius was up at the break of dawn and had the stone removed from the mouth of the den. In anguish, he calls out to Daniel, asking if God was able to save him and hoping with all his heart that he hears a reply. Daniel alleviates the king's worry and answers that God did indeed rescue him. Not only did God spare Daniel's life, but not a single scratch was on him.

The only explanation for Daniel not being ripped to shreds by the lions: "He trusted God" (6:23).

Yes, Daniel trusted God, so much so that he kept on praying even when the law said he couldn't, even when the consequences for breaking the law meant being thrown into the lions' den. Of course, we know that Daniel's life would be spared, that God would send an angel to close the lions' mouths, that not a scratch would be on him come morning. We know the whole story from beginning to end. Daniel didn't have that privilege! He didn't open up the window and bow down to pray, thinking, "Who cares if anyone sees me? What does it matter if anyone hears me praying? So what if I get thrown to the lions? No big deal, God's angel will be there to keep the lions preoccupied. Nothing to worry about; King Darius will find me alive and unharmed in the morning." Yeah right! He had no idea what would happen once his foot dangled down into the lions' den. He had no clue how God was going to come through and save him, or if He would at all. He didn't have the slightest notion how things were going to turn out for him.

The only thing Daniel did know was that the Scriptures said not to pray to anyone but God and that he should obey God rather than man. Granted, he did have the past experience of choosing to obey God instead of the king when he had refused to eat the food given to him. God had come through for him then, so why shouldn't he again? Still, Daniel had no written guarantee from God that his life would be spared. All he had was faith. And boy did he live out that faith!

I wonder what was going through Daniel's head as he was lowered down into the den with the lions. Was he scared, hands trembling, his entire body shaking with fear? Was he trying not to think about what it be like for the lions to tear him apart, to feel their teeth sink into his flesh? Was he kicking and screaming the whole way, determined to fight off the lions as long as he could? Or was he perfectly confident that God had his back, that somehow He would save him?

If I had been in Daniel's place, I don't think calm would describe my composure. Frantic, hysterical, and terrified would be more fitting. Right away I would have yelled my lungs out, crying out for God to save me, reminding Him that I had been faithful and obedient, that I "deserved" to be rescued. When the lions didn't magically disappear or turn into kittens, or when I wasn't miraculously teleported to some safe place miles and miles away, I would have closed my eyes, pinching them shut as tight as I possibly could, and flinched my entire body as I waited in anticipation of hearing the lions roar and then bite into my leg.

All too often this is how I respond when I face a difficult situation, when something bad happens that I don't understand, when I don't know what the future holds. We don't know what Daniel was doing or what he was thinking as he was lowered to the lions. All we know is that God saved him. God didn't have to spare Daniel's life, but He did.

So then, of course, I want to ask God why He didn't send an angel to protect my precious baby. I want to say that I have been faithful and obedient, that I didn't do anything to deserve this. But that is not the point of Daniel's story, not if you take off the pretty paper and fancy bows and unwrap the familiar to get to the heart of the issue. When I realize that Daniel didn't know how his story would end and that he continued to trust God no matter what happened to him, then I understand how I need to act when I encounter tough situations, when I face hardships I didn't ask for, when I deal with pain and grief I didn't expect.

Once again, God has shown me that I don't have to know how my story will end, let alone what will take place in the next chapter. And so I come away from Daniel's story with a new appreciation for the man. I come away wanting to be a woman of prayer, someone who, like Daniel, is known for constantly going before God with not only requests and concerns, but also with praises and thanksgiving. I come away wanting to have a trust so deep that I will obey God no matter the cost, that I will be faithful to Him even when I have no idea how things will turn out.



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