lessons from the lion's den

There is a story we have heard even if we’ve not been in church. It is about a guy who was thrown into a lion’s den.  To make the story a little shorter, Daniel would not do what the King has signed into law that said people were to only pray to the king.

King Darius and Daniel were tricked by some government officials that wanted to get Daniel in trouble.  When Daniel’s choice to pray to God was told to the king, the king was sad because he loved and respected Daniel.  Yet Daniel had to be punished as the law said.  He was thrown into the lion’s den.

I’ve never seen a lion’s den, but I have seen some things and experienced some things that seem like a lion’s den.  It would be a place where an attack or threat of attack was happening.  It is a place where fear does away with any peace.  It is where death seems certain and pain is screaming toward you.

We have all been in some sort of lion’s den.  How did we get out?  How did we respond?  God saved Daniel.  Here is some of the story:

Daniel 6 NLT

19 Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. 20 When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”
 21 Daniel answered, “Long live the king! 22 My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.” 23 The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God. 24 Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den. 25 Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world:
“Peace and prosperity to you! 26 “I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel.
For he is the living God,
and he will endure forever.
His kingdom will never be destroyed,
and his rule will never end. 27 He rescues and saves his people;
he performs miraculous signs and wonders
in the heavens and on earth.
 He has rescued Daniel
 from the power of the lions.”

Daniel was saved by God.  The king was glad and even praised Daniel’s God.  I want to share some thoughts from this story as we might deal with other types of lion dens.

1. Determine your position

Daniel knew where he stood with God and with the king, and he wasn’t willing to compromise his faith in any situation.  We need to do the same, trust God and live by high standards.

2. Deal with your circumstances

He didn’t moan or fight or cuss anyone out as he was being thrown into the lion’s den.  Deal with where you are even if you have done nothing to deserve it.  God can and will show up in your situation.  The more you and I trust Him, the more our God will do.

3. Delight in your God

Daniel was God’s man.  He knew what he believed.  Daniel pointed people to God before, during and after this event in his life.  As we know God and trust Him, others will see and know God and even meet God by how we deal with our lion’s den situations.

4. all De Glory goes to God

Forgive me, I had to use another “D” in the points I share.  But honestly we must see that God gets all the glory.  Often people want to pat us on the back, or we might want to even take some of the credit for ourselves.  It all belongs to God. 

The more we lean on God and trust God, the more we will see God do.  God is able to help us through all kinds of lion’s den situations.  I love Daniel’s story.  What’s your story?