Devotion: Daniel 6:10

Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

If you have never read Daniel’s story, it is a good one. This is just one example of how Daniel was resolute in his faith and stood up for his beliefs and practices. He refused to bow to their king and gods and continued to worship his own, even in foreign lands where they were trying to dictate people’s worship time.

It may seem as if Daniel is being passively aggressive in his defiance here, but in all honesty he is not. It said “just as he had done before.” He continued to pray to God just as he had done before. He did not run home, throw open the windows, shout out to everyone that he was going to pray to God and only God and then dramatically drop to his knees and cry out his prayers loudly for all to hear. He prayed as he had done before. He continued with his regular routine despite the edict that had been passed that they were to cease praying to anyone but King Darius himself for the next 30 days. Daniel heard the decree and went home and continued just as he had done before. His hope and trust was in God and he continued to pray to Him, trusting Him to protect him and care for him.

And it proved true. Daniel was thrown in the lion den as punishment for breaking the decree, but God saved him. He sent an angel to protect Daniel by closing the mouth of the lion (Daniel 6:22). God saved Daniel just as Daniel had trusted him to, and he was spared. God had a plan for Daniel and this was just part of the story that makes it so great to read.

What would you have done had you been in Daniel’s position? Would you have secretly hidden your prayer life away in your room instead of at the window as you had always done? That is most likely what I would have done so that I could still pray without breaking the law. But the story is about Daniel, thankfully, and I will never experience this situation.

The key take away from this story, for me at least, is consistent trust in Jesus is the key to our survival. If we trust Him to carry us through the trials and struggles of life, He can save us from anything we face. We should never change our faith practices and habits to suit others, only to benefit us in our walk with God. And that is what Daniel did. He did just as he had done before.

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