"At the king's command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lion's den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones." (Daniel 6:24)
Do people who see us recognize the power of God working on our behalf? Our pastor shared two things during Sunday's sermon that I would like us to reflect upon today:
We must know what they know without being what they are. As Christians living in a Christ-hating context, we do not shy away from the way the world functions. In fact, we endeavor to out-shine the world with our God-given abilities. The testimony concerning Daniel and his friends was that "in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in the whole kingdom." (Daniel 1:20) These young men distinguished themselves because, as servants of God, they refused the food that was offered to idols. They also distinguished themselves by gaining a solid grasp of the culture, language, and educational expectations of Babylon in only three years of study.
God can cause "natural outcomes" of events not to happen. Because Daniel lived his life in honor of his God, there resulted an outflow of jealousy from the other leaders in the region. When Daniel was thrown into the lions' den, God sent one angel to prevent the lions from acting upon their natural instincts. The shifting of nature was not a new phenomenon: in Daniel's youth he was witness to his friends Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abednego), who astonished King Nebuchadnezzar by walking out of the fiery furnace with no smell of smoke on them. In Daniel's old age, he astonished King Darius by surviving the night in the lions' den, walking out the next morning without even a scratch.
The Scripture, as if to underscore the fact that God trumps nature on behalf of His people, tells us that God did not adjust the natural outcome of events for the enemies of God. The men who threw Daniel's friends into the fire were consumed by the heat of the flames (3:22). The men who colluded to have Daniel thrown into the lions' den were, along with their families, consumed by the lions (6:24).
Most of us, I imagine, would prefer not to be thrown into a den of lions or a fiery furnace. But, as our pastor shared, God sometimes permits us to experience devastating situations for the sake of His glory. Pastor Sam referred to Hebrews chapter 11, which ends with a death-parade of men and women who were persecuted and martyred for the sake of God's gospel. We won't all have Daniel's testimony of dramatic rescue. But, whether we live or die, we have this assurance: God is a vindicator of His people.
Lord God, how I thank You that You have promised to vindicate Your people! I promise to continually seek Your face and exercise the gifts and abilities You have entrusted to me. I will not balk when You place me in the center of the fire or in the crags of the lions' den; I know You are with me even there. Thank You for Your word that even causes nature to abandon its normal course for the sake of Your glory. I give You glory and wait patiently for Your vindication, whether on earth or in heaven. Amen.
Do people who see us recognize the power of God working on our behalf? Our pastor shared two things during Sunday's sermon that I would like us to reflect upon today:
We must know what they know without being what they are. As Christians living in a Christ-hating context, we do not shy away from the way the world functions. In fact, we endeavor to out-shine the world with our God-given abilities. The testimony concerning Daniel and his friends was that "in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in the whole kingdom." (Daniel 1:20) These young men distinguished themselves because, as servants of God, they refused the food that was offered to idols. They also distinguished themselves by gaining a solid grasp of the culture, language, and educational expectations of Babylon in only three years of study.
God can cause "natural outcomes" of events not to happen. Because Daniel lived his life in honor of his God, there resulted an outflow of jealousy from the other leaders in the region. When Daniel was thrown into the lions' den, God sent one angel to prevent the lions from acting upon their natural instincts. The shifting of nature was not a new phenomenon: in Daniel's youth he was witness to his friends Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abednego), who astonished King Nebuchadnezzar by walking out of the fiery furnace with no smell of smoke on them. In Daniel's old age, he astonished King Darius by surviving the night in the lions' den, walking out the next morning without even a scratch.
The Scripture, as if to underscore the fact that God trumps nature on behalf of His people, tells us that God did not adjust the natural outcome of events for the enemies of God. The men who threw Daniel's friends into the fire were consumed by the heat of the flames (3:22). The men who colluded to have Daniel thrown into the lions' den were, along with their families, consumed by the lions (6:24).
Most of us, I imagine, would prefer not to be thrown into a den of lions or a fiery furnace. But, as our pastor shared, God sometimes permits us to experience devastating situations for the sake of His glory. Pastor Sam referred to Hebrews chapter 11, which ends with a death-parade of men and women who were persecuted and martyred for the sake of God's gospel. We won't all have Daniel's testimony of dramatic rescue. But, whether we live or die, we have this assurance: God is a vindicator of His people.
Lord God, how I thank You that You have promised to vindicate Your people! I promise to continually seek Your face and exercise the gifts and abilities You have entrusted to me. I will not balk when You place me in the center of the fire or in the crags of the lions' den; I know You are with me even there. Thank You for Your word that even causes nature to abandon its normal course for the sake of Your glory. I give You glory and wait patiently for Your vindication, whether on earth or in heaven. Amen.
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